Kim Dotcom becoming a 'cult hero'

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Kim Dotcom becoming a 'cult hero'

3News NZ

Kim Dotcom (AAP)

Kim Dotcom (AAP)

By 3 News online staff

Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom has received a lot of attention since his arrest in January this year.

He's been portrayed by the US Government as one of the biggest copyright criminals of all time, but his popularity amongst the New Zealand public seems to be rising everyday.

University of Auckland senior political lecturer Gavin Ellis spoke to Firstline about the phenomenon of Dotcom.

“I think that he’s almost at the level of cult hero now, quite strange because he went from the perception of being an alleged sort of criminal mastermind to the stage now where there is a real affection I think for him among the public,” he says.

Mr Ellis believes the way the court had ruled in his favour in a number of developments in his case has given the case a “David and Goliath” theme, of Dotcom fighting the might of the US Government.

“I think also, particularly among younger people, there’s a question of ‘well what crime did he commit? The internet’s free’ […] it’s not a matter of criminality and indeed although these are criminal charges essentially the issues are commercial ones,” he says.

“He’s got a very good legal team, I’m not sure if he’s also got a very good PR team […] but he’s good at it.”

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Comments

20/07/2012 8:07:53 p.m.

Gosh wrote:

Hes only a cult hero to the naive and uneducated or anyone who would rather steel music and moves than pay for them. This guy if an art thief plain and simple.

5/07/2012 3:16:03 p.m.

Longtack wrote:

He steals other people's data, and then on-sells it. That the fuzz etc have made a hash of prosecuting him is largely irrelevant. He is a convicted corporate thief - a criminal.

5/07/2012 2:53:11 p.m.

Welcome home Kim Dotcom. wrote:

I see Kim Dotcom as an entrepeneur who took advantage of an opportunity. He is not the only one only one of the most successful. Since he has become a father and seems to be concerned with providing a safe haven for his family to grow and thrive - that's why he introduced himself at the Coatsville meeting. It would be seriously criminal for the New Zealand Police to play ball with the US/FBI - New Zealand should be grateful to have a man like this with huge intelligence and financial assets wanting to live in our country. Welcome him with open arms I say!

5/07/2012 1:59:22 p.m.

Moera wrote:

Surprise, Surprise, what does one expect when the police, govt and FBI run roughshod over an individuals rights?? The Americans may say he's a criminal in their country but NZ is not the USA and Dotcom has a 'clean' record here. If the NZ authorities had done their job thoroughtly BEFORE ransacking Dotcom's estate they wouldn't be eating humble pie now, nor will a NZ Dotcom following ever developed. I feel NZ authorities have given the FBI and their legal system an unfair leverage over Dotcom. I'm starting to wonder who the 'real' crooks are.

5/07/2012 1:18:02 p.m.

Chargone wrote:

heh. anyone who's been paying attention found the allegations of criminal mastermind-dom ridiculous from the start. before That he was just another big business guy who was managing not to screw up/screw over the public too badly and thus generally considered to be 'all right, i guess', and that was for people who even knew who he was. the people who'd even heard of his previous exploits were few, relatively speaking. it helps his PR, A LOT, that he's basically facing up against the US government and *IAAs, in a different country. the USG is doing their level best to come across as incompetent tyrannical arseholes, and the current NZG seems to be putting almost as much effort into appearing to be, at best, yes-men for said arseholes. Kim Dotcom doesn't need to be GOOD, particularly, in that environment, just not an idiot and not evil. he's managing both quite handily. hard not to get the general public on your side when you come under very public attack by entities they're already pre-disposed to side against.

5/07/2012 12:02:16 p.m.

Connor wrote:

Americans go to war over two things, Oil and Money. As we've seen many times over, there doesn't have to be any actual proof of "weapons of mass destruction", just a perception is good enough for these thugs. In this case, no real evidence, just a poor attempt to make out that Kim is the ultimate bad guy. What nonsense. USA is nobody's friend. Pearl Harbour 2012 incident is a prime example of how they are willing to "attack" New Zealand. Kim Dotcom case is no different - we are being bullied. Time to stand up, and by way of supporting Kim Dotcom, we are actually telling USA to shove off. This is our country, and we don't like bullies playing in our playground.

5/07/2012 11:57:13 a.m.

Dave wrote:

He ain't no saint, his past should not be forgotten. Insider trading and embezzlement, civil litigation and fraud. No smoke without fire. The NZ public would do well to remember this before carving a pedestal for him.

5/07/2012 11:45:49 a.m.

nigel wrote:

Look at the size of that cranium; it’s all brain in there. Kim Dotcom will be good at anything requiring brain power, he is probably too intelligent to go into politics, but I hope he does New Zealand could do with some intelligence in Government.

5/07/2012 11:24:21 a.m.

Bill Williams wrote:

My support goes out to dotcom You go dotcom..

5/07/2012 10:42:05 a.m.

ron herbert wrote:

kiwis are a stange people we murderers go free i believe the been more than one and aplaud the action of a suspected thief of other peoples property rights stop nocking the police we need them but we can do without [dot com