Kim Dotcom, the founder of the now closed file-sharing site Megaupload, announced Thursday a new online file-sharing and storage service.

The new service named Mega will be launched in January next year and the users of the site will have a direct control and responsibility over the files they upload, Reuters has reported.

The site will not use any of the U.S.-based hosting companies lest the authorities in the country would shut it down. Kim Dotcom and Megaupload operators are facing charges of online piracy, money laundering and fraud over the once popular Megaupload service that allowed sharing of the copyrighted content online.

The U.S authorities have alleged that the Megaupload has made profit to the tune of $175 million from the illegal content uploaded and shared on the site in a blatant violation of the U.S. copyrights law.

However, Dotcom in an interview with Reuters said that he had taken sufficient care not to violate the U.S. laws this time.

“The new Mega will not be threatened by U.S. prosecutors. The new Mega avoids any dealings with U.S. hosters, U.S. domains and U.S. backbone providers and has changed the way it operates to avoid another takedown," Dotcom said.

The site will allow the users to store photos, films, songs and other files in the cloud. It will also allow them to encrypt the files. Encryption will give a direct control to the users on their content while other users can access the content only by a decryption key.

This will also make the users responsible for the content they upload.

"The new Mega encrypts and decrypts your data transparently in your browser, on the fly. You hold the keys to what you store in the cloud, not us. You hold the keys to what you store in the cloud, not us," says a statement on the Mega webpage.

Dotcom plans to launch the Mega by Jan 20, just before he is scheduled to face an extradition hearing to the United States.