Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Today in Sweeden, the Web Site for popular Bit Torrent tracker host, The Pirate Bay was shut down in a raid by Sweedish police. Approximately 50 officers came to the data center for TPB with a search and seizure warrant to suspend operations of TPB and seize all equipment pending the outcome of legal proceedings. Unlike the US, Sweedish IP law does not rule that a server containing links to copyrighted material is illegal. It will be interesting to see if this site returns to the internet in the same form if at all. Also interesting is the fact that the site has direct ties to a newly formed political party in Sweeden, the Pirate Party. Of course intense scrutiny is now around the fact that certain US based organizations which shall rename nameless (*cough* MPAA *cough*) are behind this shutdown. If TPB comes out on top, this will be a huge victory for free speech on the internet.
Technorati Tags: free speech, the pirate bay, bit torrent, mpaa
