The Pirate Bay and Filesharers Backed by Swedish Politicians
Written by Ernesto on February 09, 2008Two weeks ago we reported on Greens EFA launching the pro-filesharing campaign “I Wouldn’t Steal“. With new editorials in Swedish newspapers coinciding with The Pirate Bay’s charges, it seems the Green Party is looking to push the issue forward, thereby supporting The Pirate Bay.
In recent years, the Swedish Green Party, which holds 19 seats in parliament, has taken a clear stance on filesharing. Following the raid on The Pirate Bay in 2006, the party board released a memo entitled “Free the files!” in which they suggested to fully legalize non-commercial filesharing.
When asked about the purpose of the memo in 2006, party spokesperson Peter Eriksson said: “Our aim is to make laws in line with the new technologies. The other option is to pretend that you can go on like you always have, although it’s practically impossible. Reality has changed.”
One of the driving forces behind the recent “I Wouldn’t Steal” campaign from the European Green parties was the Swedish politician Carl Schlyter, and his initiative seems to have spurred others in the party to join the debate. Earlier this week, an editorial was published in two local Swedish newspapers. It was titled “Filesharing is not theft” and was written by Akko Karlsson, member of the Swedish Green Party’s executive board.
In the editorial, Akko argued that filesharing can’t be compared to theft, as theft is when someone takes away the possibility for another person to use something, whereas filesharing only creates a new copy without erasing the original.
“For me, this is a generation issue,” said Akko Karlsson when TorrentFreak asked her why she decided to write the editorial. “You should always endorse the new technologies’ possibilities.”
In her editorial, Akko criticizes the entertainment industry’s failing to enter the information age with working business models:
“You could argue that filesharing hinders some people from earning as much money as they would have if filesharing was not possible. But now it is possible, the technology is there, and then the industry needs to find new ways of handling it. They’ve had the chance to work on new ways for 10 years but haven’t come up with much else than silly trailers that say filesharing is theft. [...] When new technology emerges, it’s not necessarily it that must be adapted to the old ways. Sometimes, the industry itself must adapt.”
Akko further told TorrentFreak that she’s convinced that filesharing, copyright and integrity will be important issues for Green Party in the 2009 elections for the European Parliament and the 2010 elections in Sweden.
“Because there is also the democratic aspect of this,” she says, “There are so many people under repressive regimes for whom filesharing and the Internet is the link to the rest of the world that inspires, gives hope and makes it endurable to fight for human rights and democracy. The state’s control system is expanding. We used to heavily criticize the intrusions of privacy and control systems in place behind the Iron Curtain, but now we are building this ourselves.”
In Swedish old media, there’s currently a heated argument against filesharing, with novelists like Liza Marklund and Jan Guillou using every inch of their weekly columns in Swedish newspapers to lobby for tougher measures. With the trial against The Pirate Bay coming up, the debate has sunk even deeper in the trenches. In this climate, for politicians to step up to the plate with sound arguments why filesharing should be legalized seems like a bold move.
But Akko Karlsson is not alone.
On January 31, an editorial was published in Gothenburg’s daily newspaper. It was written by Green Party’s Lage Rahm, member of Parliament, party spokesperson on IT issues and substitute member on The Committee on Industry and Trade. On the subject of the ongoing case against The Pirate Bay, he called for reason when it comes to impose tougher measures on filesharing:
“Not only is the struggle [to end illegal filesharing] doomed to fail, it also creates a risk that filesharing on the Internet becomes anonymized and encrypted. An increased availability of untraceable networks will make it harder to fight organized crime.”
As an example, Lage Rahm put forward the bust of a pedophile ring with more than 700 suspects in 33 countries last year. This was done by tracking chatrooms, downloaded photos and e-mail.
“Most people realize that the police and copyright interest groups are fighting against windmills. [...] Convicting sentences against The Pirate Bay would have merely marginal effects on the scope of illegal filesharing. More severe is that the hunt will lead to an increased interest for absolute anonymity among Sweden’s approximately 1 million filesharers. Their activity will move to untraceable darknets.”
He focused on the dangers of Internet communities going underground and concluded:
“New technologies mean we as legislators are faced with an entirely new reality. Tougher measures against filesharing means risking the police’s possibilities of fighting child pornography and organized crime. It is worrying that the Minister of Justice doesn’t seem to realize this. For The Green Party, this is one of the main arguments of legalizing non-commercial downloading. [...] The Minister of Justice should leave to the industry to clear up the mess they have made for themselves. Judicial resources should be diverted to fight severe online criminality instead of hunting filesharing sixteen-year-olds.”
So, what does this all mean for the European filesharer? Well, one thing is sure, political parties that actually have power are taking a pro-filesharing stance. A sign that things are moving forward, slowly, but in the right direction.
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[quote comment="286757"]For the record, the norwegian political party “venstre” (liberal party) have been officially supporting legalisation of file sharing for about a year already.
On contrary to the swedish Green Party, Venstre is a main stream party which until recently shared the goverment power with the concervatives, the farmer party and the christian party for about 13 years, and so it is not a nutty left or right wing party.
http://www.uv.no/arkiv/pressemeldinger/liberal-party-advocates-legal-file-sharing/quote
Venstre is not a liberal party.
It is a socialist party.
The swedish green party is supporting the socialists and socialdemocrates in Sweden.
None of these are liberal.
In the case of the Green party it really looks like they are fishing for votes from young people who are for sharing because they do not have experience from working and have not developed a sense for ownership.
Sharers, despite what age, seems to me as people with a very low resonsability level and no sense for ownership.
In politics they are often called “communists”.
As I’m not a politician I just call them selfish. And greedy.
looks like few trols or very very stupid ppl had spamed this news lately. missing the main point. how much does musicians earn from selling cd’s? but not gonna even start that. i have few musicians that i like, i downloaded first music from net, then bought the original. “real deal” artists will always do good. some (a lot of them) would just not make the cut, if ppl would listen their music before buying…. and what parent would give kid money to buy paris hilton latest album is they had chance to listen it first?
Hey- thanks fore all of y thought about my thoughts aboute filesharing- without steeling!
http://www.rockparty.se/
Exampel of music festival local
-swede festival in Hultsfred/ Kalmar county- its rather commen to test what artist comes upp before bying a 2-4 days ticket rather expencive.
On festival all musicplaing bands sell thire music cd on market sourroundings!
(sell a lot during those days)
Again i think its a win win situation with internet - and the benifitt of musiclovers to reccomend artist is fare more value fore artiste because its a collecting thing to by the orginal in the end fore moste of people.
Fore those who cant pay and only loads down music will still spread music reccomending as free PR fore the musicpeople and then again sell morde cd… What is the PR coast fore music…compared with lost of sharingmoney ???
Best regards @kko Karlsson Sweden
[quote comment="proggo"]Venstre is not a liberal party.[/quote]
Stop that stupid lying. Who are you anyway? What cause are you supporting by writing such bullshit?
Venstre is not a socialist party. From http://www.venstre.no/print.php?article=981, you can clearly read “Venstre is a liberal, non-socialist party”. Everything I wrote about venstre was correct, its a mainstream liberal party sharing power with the concervative party and other non-left parties for many years, a fact which you can check from numerous sources on the internet and everywhere else. I have never ever heard that its supposed to be a socialist part. so just shut up.
[quote comment="287754"][quote comment="286757"]For the record, the norwegian political party “venstre” (liberal party) have been officially supporting legalisation of file sharing for about a year already.
On contrary to the swedish Green Party, Venstre is a main stream party which until recently shared the goverment power with the concervatives, the farmer party and the christian party for about 13 years, and so it is not a nutty left or right wing party.
http://www.uv.no/arkiv/pressemeldinger/liberal-party-advocates-legal-file-sharing/quote
Venstre is not a liberal party.
It is a socialist party.
[/quote]
Ehr. Nope. Maybe you’re thinking of the “Socialist left party” (sosialistisk venstre parti). Thats an entirely different party, and which does not support legalisation of file sharing, by the way.
http://www.venstre.no/print.php?article=981
“Venstre is a liberal, non-socialist party, rooted at the centre of Norwegian politics”.
The media cartels are going about it all wrong. They should support file sharing and stop opposing it. Will that increase file sharing? No I think it will slow it down. Reverse psychology, that’s the ticket. Not only would that mean people would start buying CDs and DVDs again, along with a drastic drop in prices, those sampling by share will also search out their newly found tastes on CD or even DVD serials if at a good price.
Reduced price media is what will sell mostly, and also make the most money. Not overpricing, which doesn’t sell. Do you have a sales clue or what? Stubbornly inflating prices will not increase profits unless you have the sales and will only cause avoidance and ill-will to potential buyers.
[quote comment="287393"]Pretty sure none of these Greens ever tried to be a working musician, producer or run a label of any size (same probably applies to film/video as well).
Those of you who think every entertainer should have a day job, news flash: most of them do. Those of you who think that everyone running a record label is a wearing nice suits and jetting around? We’re not. And if you think that all entertainers should set out a begging bowl (donation button), ask yourself if you would work only for donations. As a way to get rewarded for a hobby maybe its OK, but if you’ve spent time training yourself, building your skill and reputation, would you act like a beggar in the street shaking a cup for spare change? I sure as heck wont.
Oh and to all of you who “share” files, may I ask where you got those files to begin with?[/quote]
If you can’t have a modicum of humility you don’t deserve anything. Asking for donations portrays goodwill and people will gladly give. Pigheadedly exagerrating already overpriced CDs will not attract income. You’ll no doubt claim that the artist has no control over that, well that’s too bad. Setting up a Web site and asking for whatever people would LIKE to pay or what they can afford, is what will prosper you, and has nothing to do with begging. People want to see your goodwill and humility, not your greedy arrogant pride. If you can’t fake it, stiff cheddar.
Bingo! Well said. Where do file sharers get files? What a stupid question.
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