Users could upload movies, music and other content to the site and share with others, a practice the US considers copyright infringement.
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Dotcom hopes the livestream on YouTube will improve transparency in a case he claims has been beset by “misconduct and lies”.
“My lawyers are now in court making argument for live streaming of my entire hearing”, Dotcom said on Twitter. We’re breaking new ground.
Justice Murray Gilbert, the New Zealand judge hearing the appeal, criticized the request for coming at the last-minute but said he’d allow other media to discuss it before making a decision.
Earlier this week, Dotcom’s lawyer Ron Mansfield said there were “unprecedented issues of public and global interest” in the case and it should be broadcast with a ten-minute delay implemented to ensure sensitive details are censored all in a effort to enforce greater scrutiny upon USA efforts to try Dotcom for his part in illegal file sharing atop accusations of money laundering.
Mr Dotcom’s lawyers argued Megaupload was set up as a legitimate file-storing site, and there were a large number of people who were using it for that objective.
In an opening address at the court the pair’s lawyer Grant Illingworth painted a picture of lives torn apart by the raid on the former Megaupload executives, years in limbo, and obstruction by United States authorities.
After years of legal wrangling, a court ruled in December that Dotcom and three of his former business associates could be sent to the US, where they face charges including conspiracy to commit racketeering and money laundering.
Kim Dotcom arrives at court in Auckland during last year’s extradition hearing.
Yesterday, a High Court judge condemned the Megaupload co-founder’s last-minute bid to live-stream the hearing because it was applied for mere days before the trial started but said it could be allowed if media companies supported it. “It’s democracy at its finest”.
Dotcom’s lawyer is pleased: “It’s very important that the entire world gets to see the courtroom”, says Rothken.
“This is a case of the internet age”, he said.
The FBI alleges Megaupload netted more than US$175 million in criminal proceeds and cost copyright owners more than US$500 million by offering pirated content.
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From his New Zealand mansion, Mr Dotcom spoke to BBC’s North America technology reporter Dave Lee.
