4shared is a file sharing service

File hosting service

A file hosting service, online file storage provider, or cyberlocker is an Internet hosting service specifically designed to host user files. Typically they allow HTTP and FTP access. Related services are content-displaying hosting services A file hosting service, online file storage provider, or...

. 4shared has a search function, allows users to upload and download files to their accounts and share links with other people. According to Quantcast

Quantcast

Quantcast is a California based company that provides publishers and marketers with the ability to understand, deliver and reach their best audiences at a massive scale...

 4shared holds the 1st place in Brazil.

API

4shared offers a publicly available Application programming interface which allows implementing different 4shared services on other web sites (4shared search, login, logout etc) using Simple Object Access Protocol

SOAP

SOAP, originally defined as Simple Object Access Protocol, is a protocol specification for exchanging structured information in the implementation of Web Services in computer networks...

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File-storage, sharing, and concerns of Privacy-Invasion

4shared is a storage site for all kinds of media. It can be used to share between acquaintances, and even the public. However, beginning in June 2009, even for private accounts (marked by users as 'Unshared'), 4shared began to allow both big and indie record labels alike to search through individual, private user accounts and then file removal-claims for mp3

MP3

MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...

, .wav, RealAudio

RealAudio

RealAudio is a proprietary audio format developed by RealNetworks and first released in April 1995. It uses a variety of audio codecs, ranging from low-bitrate formats that can be used over dialup modems, to high-fidelity formats for music. It can also be used as a streaming audio format, that is...

, and other types of audio media. The aforementioned record labels are allowed to search both paying (Premium), and non-paying (Free) private 4shared User accounts, and ask for material to be deleted by 4shared.