Originally Posted by Nautilus

I understand your frustration, however, here is the reality - DMCAing VISA for hosts that are using Paypal is pointless. VISA is not going to disconnect Paypal because of your DMCA, or because of a million of DMCAs for that matter, they're too big for that. Not that we want them disconnected anyway, Paypal is cooperating just fine, you just need to use the proper reporting channels with them.

Be realistic - VISA will simply trash your report, they're not going to bother with it. To get their attention we need a TON of DMCAs to show the consistent pattern of infringements and on top of it a follow up from AK. Otherwise it's simply a waste of time. There are only two types of cases where DMCAing VISA is appropriate:

1. If a file locker is using their own merchant account.
2. If a file locker is using a rogue billing company which will not disconnect them no matter the amount of DMCAs they get from rights holders.

DMCAs should be sent strategically, with the aim to disconnect a file locker on the ground of repeat copyright infringement. Or to terminate a rogue billing company. You send them where the chances of termination are the best at the moment - when a file locker is using Paypal, Paypal is your best chance. Paypal is NOT rogue billing company (at least not copyright infringement wise), they WILL terminate a file locker if they get enough DMCAs - but, of course, the bigger the site, the more DMCAs they need. For Rapidshare, obviously, they still need more.

Only when Rapidshare's Paypal account is killed, and when they will switch to processing through their own merchant account, only then DMCAing VISA will become somewhat of a realistic possibility.

You may DMCA VISA of course for Rapidshare links if that is your choice, however you're not going to put even a dent in Rapidshare if you do that. But, if you'll send your DMCA to Paypal, you'll add them one more strike on file and bring them one more small step toward termination. Of course termination by Paypal is not the final death of a file locker, especially when it is big like Rapidshare. But it's a step.

Don't let your personal grudges with Paypal stand in the way of killing off file lockers. DMCA Paypal, cc to Copycontrol, and let AK handle reports to all other 3rd parties including VISA. That approach works best in the long term.