Pokémon Palace Network owner raided by U.S. ...

[Water Pokémon Master]

I contacted someone from PUSA I know, and if I get a reply, I'll post it. Steve knew the same person.

 

[saul]

Totally weird...

They say that PUSA is involved? I read the first couple pages of this thread, and someone pointed out that even if PUSA or whoever had the site shut down for content, they wouldn't come into Steve's house, which sounds plausible. The only other reasons I can actually think of a raid is that Steve is involved with something MUCH larger than PUSA (but then why would they bring PUSA into this, or even having fans send PUSA letters)? Or, Steve acquired something from PUSA, something you can physically hold that was under top secret wraps. THEN, I can see a raid. The government would raid someone's house if they had something like that - take a look at this past summer concerning the release of Harry Potter.

But still, IF there were such a thing, what would it be? And second, why would Steve have it, he's always seemed to be a good guy...

 

[Sunain]

I feel as though I should comment on this thread. Unfortunately not much is known other than what PPN has told us which is that PUSA has seized his possessions for copyright infringement. I have to agree with many of the other people here that this seems odd and is disturbing. Normally sites receive C&D letters and if they don't comply, then more pressing actions are taken. Of all the people in the Pokemon fandom, PPN probably had the most contact with PUSA/Nintendo in setting up contests for his website. I find it odd that PUSA would choose now after many years to conduct a raid without first sending a C&D.

It has been speculated that the raid on PPN is not copyright infringement related. Unfortunately there is no way for us to know for sure. While I won't get into the exact details as there is no way to confirm them as they are hearsay & rumour, but they do seem more plausible.

Of the major Pokémon webmasters, only PPNSteve had his personal details readily available, and is a US Citizen. All the other major sites are either run by people overseas (including this one, though our hosting is in the US), or are run by people who remain anonymous (which includes pocketmonsters.net).

JDS did not put whois protection on PocketMonsters.net and his personal information was easily viewable through a simple whois. PUSA or a marketing subsidiary of PUSA has sent him media kits to his house for Pokemon Ranger and Mystery Dungeon. We never applied for press access anywhere. Serebii's details are also available via whois as well.

And it seems people have forgotten that PUSA *did* threaten to shut down PocketMonsters roughly a year ago---I distinctly remember Sunain going around telling people they were getting closed and that there would be no more torrents---then strangely backed off.

We stopped for a bit because YouTube users posting Pokemon were getting C&D letters from Shogakukan. #PM have now decided to completely stop posting releases. PUSA has never sent us any letters other than media kits which we're not even sure where they came from.

#PM and #fp before that were created to help Pokemon fans from around the world see the Japanese raws or the English dubs that they otherwise couldn't see because they aren't broadcast in their country. This also helped out websites by providing episode pictures.

 

[TSS_Killer]

By the way, PPNSteve's DS did get seized. For those who think that I'm keeping anything in secret, you would be wrong in assuming so. I am just a messenger, and I'm honest on what I post for the public to see. The Post-It notes have some truth as well, as he told me that they seized an entire stack that he had. That is all I will speak on this subject at this time until I can get solid evidence of this case.

 

[Misty]

What I want to know is - why hasn't he come online himself? Is he in jail or something?

(Yes, I know his computer was seized, I am assuming he can, however, access an internet cafe)

 

[TSS_Killer]

What I want to know is - why hasn't he come online himself? Is he in jail or something?

(Yes, I know his computer was seized, I am assuming he can, however, access an internet cafe)

No he isn't actually, he did contact me today from a Kinko's on Google Talk (text)...but the conversation didn't reveal any new information.

 

[Doctor Oak]

Unless something changed, PUSA is not Nintendo. They are two seperate entities.

Trust me, if any legal action was to be taken, it would come from Nintendo - not their subsidiaries.

 

[Trainer Rachel]

What I want to know is - why hasn't he come online himself? Is he in jail or something?

x3

Sorry, that was just a bit funny, how you worded it... ^^o
But of course he isn't in jail, that's why I'm laughing. If he was, then it definitely wouldn't be funny.

Errm... okay, not that I don't believe anyone here, but this whole thing just really doesn't make much sense at ALL.

 

[Water Pokémon Master]

The person I contacted is going to ask around tomorrow.

 

[Pokemon X]

OK, this is fresh in my mind since classes are back in session but... the PPN message doesn't even make sense internally... if the US (federal) gov't raided his home then it sounds like a criminal charge and not a civil one. Maybe there's something they're not teaching us in the criminal justice classes but I'm sure that a raid by the federal gov't isn't an action by Pokemon (and the gov't isn't gonna just roll up on somebody's house because a company says so, federal prosecutors kinda like to have some sort of grounds for an actual case first even if Pokemon tells them there's infringement going on) so telling Pokemon to stop "their" foolish action is... pointless. You'd have to tell the government/prosecutors instead. Good luck with that...

...so yeah, I don't get it either. *shrug*

 

[evkl]

Copyright violations are criminal, but you need somebody--usually the copyright holder--to complain about the violation.

If it was related to Nintendo, that would be it.

 

[Petey]

The Post-It notes have some truth as well, as he told me that they seized an entire stack that he had.

That really makes no sense. What would copyright infringement have to do with erm, Post-it notes? Even a DS can be partially sensible.. but c'mon blank Post-It notes? ...

It seems PUSA has decided to attack, and try to shut down Pokemon Fan sites..

That seems really.. weird. It makes no sense actually.
Imagine the fandom without fansites. Pokémon would be lost in the market by now. If it weren't for the fansites, Diamond and Pearl would never have such big figures on the board. If PUSA is really doing so, they are, basically, either going to be seriously pwned in Court, or are going to destroy the Pokémon Franchise in not only the US, but all over the world.

#PM have now decided to completely stop posting releases.

:<
I hope #pm comes back someday...

 

[MondoTR]

blank Post-It notes?

I don't know what could be on them but for some reason I got the feeling they weren't blank.

I do think that post-its being taken is odd either way but doesn't seem as strange if they're actually written on.

 

[Arty2]

I don't know what could be on them but for some reason I got the feeling they weren't blank.

Who knows, maybe he was writing with UV ink :lol:

 

[Water Pokémon Master]

Lots of people put passwords on post-its instead of storing them on the computer. I do.

 

[eX.A.K.R.]

Well, the more I learn about this, the more this whole drama doesn't make sense - I can see only more question marks popping up like mushrooms after a rainstorm.

I did hear a mention that PPN did help sell some Pokémon products - would it have came from there? Even then (and coupled with someone speculation that compromise of top-secret information might be playing a part), the thoroughness of the raid on his home wouldn't make sense - post-it notes? Nintendo DSes?

 

[Perxio]

Probably my unbearable curiosity talking, but I think it'd almost be better to just get rid of the speculation and let more information be known. Rumours that pop up could end up being worse than what really happened. Again, I'm biased, 'cause...I want to know what happened. o_o; Well, I know what happened, but I mean the iffy parts.

 

[Shuko]

Probably my unbearable curiosity talking, but I think it'd almost be better to just get rid of the speculation and let more information be known. Rumours that pop up could end up being worse than what really happened. Again, I'm biased, 'cause...I want to know what happened. o_o; Well, I know what happened, but I mean the iffy parts.

What information that might be hidden (by people other than Steve himself) might not be out in the open yet because it's as of yet unprovable. If such information were to be put out here for everyone to see, what would happen if it is found out later that it wasn't true? Prudent silence is wiser than likely suspicions.

 

[LightningTopaz]

If Pokemon sites start being pulled like this, then what if sites for other series (i.e. Mario, Zelda, etc.) get threatened too?

 

[Argy]

Let's not panic. We have no reason, other than this rumor, to believe PUSA is going to shut any other sites down.

We need to find out from an objective source what exactly happened. Or we need PUSA to deny responsibility.