15 file-sharing sites like Megaupload that the Feds may target next

As more details come to light in the much-publicized Megaupload case, other file-sharing sites around the web are shutting their doors in fear that they could be targeted next by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Over the weekend, popular Megaupload alternatives FileSonic and FileServe completely turned off the ability to share files with other people. And another well-trafficked site, Uploaded.to, has blocked all U.S.-based IP addresses in fear of getting in serious trouble with the U.S. government.

Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom and several other Megaupload employees were arrested after being named in a 72-page indictment issued Thursday by the DOJ. The indictment alleges Megaupload is connected to a vast criminal enterprise and has caused more than $500 million in harm to copyright owners. If convicted, the company's executives could serve many years in prison.

Even with trouble brewing, many sites that emulate Megaupload's basic capabilities still work just fine. The CEO of popular file-sharing site MediaFire told me Sunday the company isn't too concerned about government scrutiny because it is a legitimate business and doesn't incentivize piracy like Megaupload did. That said, just because a company is confident about its legitimacy and employees don't absurdly flaunt their wealth, doesn't guarantee the government won't investigate it.

"At this point, it's hard to tell how far you can extrapolate, but I don't think anyone should rest easy," said Felix Wu, assistant law professor at Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. "The Megaupload case will set precedent for these types of businesses and how liable they are."

With that in mind, we've compiled a list of 15 file-sharing sites still up and running that the government could potentially target next (in alphabetical order). Take a look:

BayFiles

attracts government scrutiny based on pedigree alone. The site was created by two of the founders of notorious torrent website The Pirate Bay, which said two weeks ago it would gradually stop serving torrent files because of sustained heat. BayFiles' terms of service say content that "violates third-party copyrights" is not permitted to be uploaded, but the site still makes it effortless to share copyrighted material with others.

DepositFiles

Gold membership that allows you download with multiple connections, no waiting time for downloads and no advertising. Having people pay for higher quality download connections to large files is one of the things that got Megaupload in trouble.

Divx Stage

Contraband" and the latest episode of ABC's "Once Upon a Time."

HulkShare

terms of service states copyrighted material is "strictly prohibited," but in line with DMCA, artists must let the site know if a file is there without authorization to get it taken down.

MediaFire

MegaShares

NovaMov

OvFile

PutLocker

ending its affiliate program, which gives users cash for streams, on Feb. 1. That's at least a start, but the site will still almost certainly still be a place for sharing and watching copyrighted movies without authorization.

RapidShare

global traffic rank of 211 on Alexa. The site has had numerous legal issues, but it still operates and serves millions of users daily who share files. RapidShare has no limits on upload or download sizes, but it does make you wait to download files if you are not a premium user. If you are premium user, you can download simultaneous large files with a waiting period.

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