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March 22, 2010
Pirate Bay facing new suit from US film giants
Published: 28 Jul 09 12:02 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/20954/20090728/
Dictionary tool Double click on a word to get a translation
Disney, Universal, Warner Bros and Colombia Pictures are among more than ten major film companies behind a writ to sue for the closure of Swedish file-sharing site The Pirate Bay in Stockholm District Court.
- Pirate Bay-trio to sue Dutch copyright group (24 Jul 09)
- Monthly fees on Pirate Bay's horizon (17 Jul 09)
- 'Stasi regimes' fuel demand for web anonymity: Pirate Bay source (9 Jul 09)
"We’ve been forced to seek a court order demanding that they stop the spreading of these roughly 100 films and television programmes," the film giants' legal counsel in Sweden Monique Wadsted told The Local on Tuesday.
The writ, presented to the Stockholm District Court on Monday, names as the defendants Pirate Bay backers Fredrik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg and Peter Sunde, as well Black Internet AB.
Wadsted characterized as "unusual" the apparent disregard the Pirate Bay trio has shown in the face of their conviction for copyright infringement earlier this year.
"They’ve been sentenced to prison for criminal activities but haven’t stopped carrying out those activities," Wadsted told The Local.
The injunction request centres around popular TV shows such as House, Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy, as well as major films such as Die Hard, Harry Potter and the Matrix.
Official court documents reviewed by The Local include four pages of lists of film and television series titles as well as details of release dates.
The film companies require the enforcement of an injunction to prevent the defendants from continuing the activities of The Pirate Bay, "under penalty of a substantial fine".
While the companies request compensation for court costs "with an amount to be specified at a later date" no demand for compensation for copyright infringement is claimed.
Wadsted confirmed that her clients were not seeking any damages from the three defendants "at this stage", but did not rule out that an additional suit could be filed in the future.
"What matters is that the spreading of these works is stopped," she said.
Wadsted added that the US film companies which filed the suit welcomed the possibility that The Pirate Bay switch to a legal downloading service under new ownership.
According to Hans Pandeya, head of Global Gaming Factory (GGF), his company's planned purchase of The Pirate Bay is contingent on finding a way to operate the website's file sharing service in a legal manner.
"If the site becomes legal, that’s good for us. We’re not opposed to it," Wadsted explained.
"But we can't wait and see."
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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I download for example, House season 3 because it's not yet available to buy from Stores. Then when it is available, i buy the box set, say two months later.
I dont see how that is illegal, once you have bought the box set obviously.
That's right, ALOT less than what we are being forced to pay for right now. And this is at the heart of our societies problems. We are charged more everyday for basic products like bread and milk and health care because for these entities to advertise their products to us as consumers they must battle with ALL other products for our attention. This race for attention, caused by media companies charging money for tv time, product placement, actor sponsorship, only results in us paying more for the basics in life. We now PAY for things criminals get for FREE
I would never have been exposed to some of the material
I have been if it was not for file sharing.
When I listen to a band or see a movie that I really like, I usually go and buy it because I am willing to
pay for something that I think is worth it.
Haven't these fat corporate a*holes played us, the consumers, the fools for long enough? Sure they have to make money as well, but they don't have to make a killing off us.
I say good on the Pirate Bay
http://www.fox.com/house/
Edit: Oops..nevermind. Apparently, you can watch the House episodes online only if you live in the US. However, you can watch Daily Show and Stephen Colbert eps online at their respective websites..
Seriously, screw these fat cats, it's there own fault.
So many of the people who want stuff for free would never themselves consider working for free... or giving away their hard work for free...
lol........ because the studios still make money. A perfect example was when the movie "Wolverine" workprint was leaked online before the official cinema release 20th Century Fox went nuts saying how this will hurt the box office business, the movie went on to make $87 million, scoring number one at the box office this weekend. As of today it has gone on to make $364 million world wide.
@Luckystrike
another good old lol, the entertainment industry has tried and tried again with the wonderful world of DRM and has failed, they have spent millions trying to protect their material and have failed at every corner. Why, simple they do not understand the current technology and refuse to change their business model to suite the needs of the consumer. The sad fact is the DRM causes more headaches for the people that actually pay for the material then the hackers.
I would be more than happy to pay for a subscription to stream any TV show (in Sweden)
Dont really know if you are a moron or shill, but downloading can never equate to "theft".
Do a quick search on google for "downloading is stealing", educate yourself and you might not sound like such a big moron or shill... even if you are one.
Why can't 'downloading/file sharing' equate to theft?
Writer/ Director has original idea - approaches Producer who raises finance from investors who believe they will see a return. Producer hires crew who contribute their own hard work and talent to project. Film previews at festivals to critical acclaim. Opens at cinema to reap rewards but is already being "shared amongst friends - globally - for free".
So stop kidding yourself that you are fighting some cyber campaign against 'the man' or against having your liberties curtailed. It is theft - just like your mama taught ya.
I think you will find no one who would deny a Director their dues for a job well done, an actor the same and so on. No one is arguing against that at all. File sharing supporters are happy for those whose talents are combined to make great movies, books, plays, software to see tangible rewards for their efforts.
But should media giants prosper also? Should actors be payed more than politicians, doctors and teachers? Should music artists lives be glorified in rag mags to the masses to the detriment of real issues being solved? No.
The system is in disarray, 1.4billion people living on less than an US dollar a day says that the system is broken. A huge significant factor in that broken system is the ability to make knowledge free. And if a few over inflated industries need to take a financial hit like the rest of us to help correct this system then that is what needs to happen. That is the argument.
Now, since most are talking about television shows on here. You guys don't think the networks/Hollywood in the states would be more than happy to put their shows around the world at the same time?
They make billions of dollars in advertising. You download that tv-show, why should Heineken or Coca-Cola bother paying FOX for a 30-second slot during Family Guy?
In the United States, you can watch networks shows for free on their websites. You can blame your own countries and their greed for not making it available. Your television networks can't afford to buy the new stuff, so you get the old seasons. And they need to make money on their own commercials as well. Poor SF Bio can't buy every single film the U.S. puts out, when it premieres...too expensive.
Educated by google are you?
I guess you use google for all your guidance, judging from your past comments and your sensibility about women from your posts over on the other news items.
google is search tool, not an oracle.
What a tool you are.
Your posts have become like some form of hick mentality, mental Diarrhoea.
I would just like reasonable minded individuals to ask themselves is it 'Right' to 'Take' an item when they know that the 'Owner' does not wish them to.
In the real world the vast majority, I believe, would answer no but once on-line a whole new set of shady morals comes into play.
-the limitation in personal freedom (it is like to have a law prohibiting you to bring people on your car just because, by doing so, you may avoid that those people buy their own car or take public trans, with an obvious business damages for them)
-the fact that copyright model is 2 centuries old and the our culture has produced wonderful master works even before. copyright is not a natural law but just one of the many funding models you may consider for supporting art and culture
-what is more damaged by file sharing are distribution companies, the same the promotes very often poor products and build huge business on trash
-the fact that is not that obvious that an artist, or supposed so, should earn in a year the equivalent of several African countries GDP
-you won't get 25 million peers (Pirate Bay's own figures) in your car.
-Da Vinci, Rembrandt et al were paid.
-everyone gets "damaged", from the artist with the original idea to the guy selling popcorn
-Top actors fees are shameful but thats a different debate.
- 25 millions downloading the same file? if you go on a parking, you do not normally jump into any single car parked
- exactly, this is my point. artists can be paid even without copyright. it is just a matter of finding a model compatible with times, technologies and private rights
- come on, this is to be demonstrated. guys who sell popcorns have been damaged by cinema closing down due to pay tv and home video markets... and about artists, it has to be demonstrated that this is valid for all. niche authors will continue having very hot supporters, new artists may be much easily known without our current prehistoric distribution model that leaves in the hands of the majors, very little interested in art and very much on money, the selection and promotion
- maybe not that different since it is a direct consequence of how business is done
Dont be a closed minded prick but actually welcome knowledge instead of actively rejecting it like its a disease.
As for my jokes and jabs about the fairer sex, what does that have to do with the totally broken copyright system/downloading/tpb?
Copyright was never meant to be the one shot answer to everything, it was supposed to grant a TEMPORARY monopoly over your creation, but has been totally bastardized by term extensions and making the public foot the bill.
Read up on it via...ummm, google (force yourself..just this once) then talk.
@Potato man, you and your cronies can keep shouting its theft all you want - but the fact is, it never will be, it will always just be copyright infringement. Want examples? refer to my first post.
What cronies? I'm just voicing an opinion. What's all the hostility about. Are you overweight or an american or something?
You seem to be very serious and defensive all of a sudden - hit a nerve did it.
I was pointing out that your other comment were indicative of your hick, back-water way of seeing the world.
But as we said on another post, when you grow up and get a job, your viewpoint may soften a little.
I think you meant tool (not too), but maybe google is a wonderful too..
You should use it to educate yourself, not just sift it for items that re-enforce your narrow gauge viewpoint.
Everyone has an opinion, I was just pointing out yours seems pretty dumb and uninformed - which puts you in the light of a moron, but if thats what you want to be, I wont stand in your way.
@Bob, copyright and our freedom/s is a very very serious topic, least to me, which is why I voted for PP and use a VPN everytime I am on the internet.
As for your reference to my "hick way of seeing the world", its really sad, try growing a sense of humor and then come back.
And yes, I did mean "tool" - a little typo there.
"You should use it to educate yourself, not just sift it for items that re-enforce your narrow gauge viewpoint. "
I do, I use it for work a lot (I worked for ezeeDOTse) now if only you could follow your own advise....
Oh yes, I saw the 'slick' and evidently suck-cessful ezeeDOTse. I see how setting the bar very low, aggregating others content, ensures having no-one infringe on your copyright.
Must have worked out well for you.
As I tried to reason with you a while ago, on another topic, there is considerable difference between challenging laws like IPRED and protesting unfair copyright.
You have obviously confused freedom, with anonymity - try using google to explore that concept... (and don't come back with some head-crotch-rot, that they are the same).
Campaigning and boycotting the use of films and music - no purchases, no downloads, would seem like a better way to force a resetting of ways they are sold and the conditions.
- simply consuming more of it enforces the notion that you are simply gagging to watch and listen but are too tight to pay.
ALL INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE FREE in order to maximize the advancement of our civilization as a whole, which should be what everyone is striving for. All this is is greed, pure and simple.
It's time for corporations to adapt to technology rather than trying to force technology to adapt to their wishes. Make your stuff free on the internet, with ads, it would be much easier to watch and you would make money.
USE PRODUCT PLACEMENT, you can make ALL your income EVEN IF YOUR "INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY" is pirated!!!! These corporations are RETARDED.
Capitalism is coming to an end, and they are SCARED.
People are always scared of change, but there is nothing they can do to stop it, the sooner they realize that and start adapting to the technology rather than trying to force technology to adapt to them, the better.