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The four founders of the Pirate Bay have been cleared of copyright infringement in a Belgian court – after it was found that they couldn’t be held responsible for the site after selling it in 2006, it is reported.
The Pirate Bay's cofounders Gottfrid Svartholm and Fredrik Neij, former site spokesman Peter Sunde, and site financier Carl Lundström, were charged with criminal (rather than civil) copyright infringement and abuse of electronic communications, according to Belgian newspaper De Standaard (via TorrentFreak.)
We're told the prosecutors said they were able to download copyrighted material from the site between September 2011 and November 2013, and held the four guys responsible for allowing that to happen. But the case fell apart when the foursome showed that they had had nothing to do with Pirate Bay since the site was sold to outside investors in 2006, it was reported on Friday.
Furthermore, the court was informed that Svartholm couldn't possibly have had any involvement in the claimed crimes as he had the perfect alibi – he was in a Swedish prison serving a two-year sentence for hacking into the Swedish arm of IT services firm Logica at the time.
Original Submission
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Ayn Anonymous on Sunday July 12 2015, @07:30AM
Why has the prosecutor started the case?
Because he can. (well of course get he rewarded by interested parties...)
He has not to worry about consequences of his justice system abuse.
How is that called ?
Missing feedback loop.
Why exist a law that criminalize sharing in the first place ?
Because the elected "representatives" had adopt that law.
Is that law in the interest of the majority of the citizens ?
No, course not.
Why have the "representatives" had adopted that law anyway ?
Because they can. (well of course get they rewarded by interested parties...)
Have the "representatives" to worry about consequences of this legislature system abuse ?
No, course not.
How is that called ?
Missing feedback loop.
Google for "democracy feedback system" for a feedback loop implementation.
Fuck the running in circles. Change the root cause of the problem.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 12 2015, @11:21AM
Just like a DMCA violation... All you need is an accusation and poof, things disappear. And in case the claim is bogus, there is no punishment for making it. And thus you get accusations flying left and right...
Butsadly in fact the system is working exactly as designed (if not as advertised...): Keeping rich people rich and poor people poor.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by NCommander on Sunday July 12 2015, @04:58PM
As a note, this ran through the Belgium court system, and not the United States. I'm not sure if Belgium runs on civil law system like many parts of Europe, or a common law system like the United States. The EU standardized copyright terms via the Copyright Term Directive [wikipedia.org]; something all member countries have to implement (and one of the longest terms in the world 70 years after death of the author). I'm not a fan of any expiration that has to take place post-author, but I do accept copyright has a place, as long as its not insanely long.
Generally speaking, the original terms (as set by the original copyright act of 1790) may be a bit short given the current life expectancy of humans but within the right ballpark. Unfortunately, copyright is locked up damn well and good in plenty of international treaties such as the original [wikipedia.org]Berne Convention [wikipedia.org], which makes repeal close to impossible. Even in the United States, where treaties can not overrule the constitution (see Reid v. Covert [wikipedia.org]), there's no clause in the constitution that sets a copyright length, merely that congress is empowered to set such terms. Short of all the media companies dropping dead across the world, and massive amounts to diplomacy to renegotiate said treaties, the only way it could realistically change (in the US) would be if an amendment was passed that strictly set the term limits, which would then render the Berne Convention and similar treaties unconstitutional in this country.
Still always moving
(Score: 1) by Ayn Anonymous on Monday July 13 2015, @08:17AM
You think in boxes.
Typical caused by mass media consume and friend circles that also think in boxes.
Why is it not illegal to download (what ever) in Switzerland ?
Because the Swiss citizen have made the decision that they want it that way.
Yes, the Swiss has also a corrupt government, BUT, with one very very important difference.
When the Swiss government has it overdone again, the Swiss citizen have the last say about how things get decided.
It is very cute to follow the American threats against Switzerland to change that law that allow any download.
The American morons absolute not get that the Swiss government can't do that against the will of the citizens.
The Swiss have this system of final citizen decision making since about 500 years.
I saved them from any war since then.
It saved them from the stupid EU and the EURO.
It saved them from the stupid greedy American "copyright" laws.
It is the feedback system for the Swiss government.
Can you get something like that in your country?
Surprise ! You can!
There is one international party offering you the last say in decision making.
(no yet criminalized, hurry up, work in progress...)
And you are really surprised that you don't know that ?
Ask the frogs how to dry the pond. Good luck to get an answer.
Which frog make your "news"?