A new law that took effect this month makes it easier for copyright owners to pursue illegal downloaders through the courts. The decision could also help alter perceptions of Sweden as a haven for piracy.

“The best way to fight free is with free,” he said. Mulligan said the decision could encourage more music listeners to turn to services that provide “free” digital music legally, as part of a broadband subscription or with the support of advertising. “They have to be seen to be doing something, in the same way that customs fights drug trafficking as a deterrent.” “There’s a lot of value out of it, even though its value is not going to be a meaningful reduction in file sharing,” Mr. Internet users are turning to new ways to share music, including streaming and messaging services, which are harder for copyright owners and enforcement officials to detect.īut he said the ruling was “good P.R.” for the music and movie industries. Mark Mulligan, an analyst at Forrester Research, said the decision Friday would not result in a “meaningful” decrease in piracy. The music industry federation estimates that 95 percent of music downloads involve pirated work. Fredrik Persson/SCANPIX, via Agence France-Presse - Getty Imagesīut unauthorized copying remains a big problem, in particular for the record business. Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, left, and Peter Sunde, founders of Pirate Bay, were convicted of violating copyright law. The trial this winter took place amid a carnival atmosphere in Stockholm, with bands playing outside the courtroom and Twitterers tweeting away. Internet users and media companies have been following the case closely because of the size of Pirate Bay it is estimated to have more than 20 million users worldwide and the defiant stance of its operators. They were each sentenced to a year in prison and were also ordered to pay 30 million kronor (about $3.6 million), in damages to leading entertainment companies. The court found on Friday that the men the three founders, Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg and Peter Sunde, as well as Carl Lundstrom, who provided financing had aided copyright infringement by operating the site, which provides links to thousands of songs, films, video games and other material, and helps users download them. PARIS A Swedish court has convicted four men linked to an Internet file-sharing service, the Pirate Bay, of violating copyright law, giving the music and movie industries a prominent victory in their campaign to curb online piracy.

The pirate bay trial legal case