IFPI pressuring Swedish ISPs

After what the IFPI calls a successful operation to Block The Pirate Bay in Denmark, they've decided to try to do the same in Sweden. The IFPI has decided to force Swedish Internet Service Providers to block TPB and other related sites using their landmark "Tele2"-method which is widely considered to be against the EU law. Amongst the ones that received the letter was the largest ISP in Sweden, TeliaSonera, which has over 100 million subscribers across Europe.

TeliaSonera however has extensive experience on Blocking and filtering implementations, and unlike the IFPI they have very strict relationship with what says in the EU law. �The rules say that we as Internet carriers are not allowed to listen in on what our customers are sending to each other or are talking with each other about. That�s something police and prosecutors are allowed to do after a decision has been made about it in court,� said Patrik Hiselius from TeliaSonera.

Anna H�rnlund, a lawyer for The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency, mentioned that it would be impossible to detect piracy without breaking the law on wiretapping. Eavesdropping is allowed only in a case of definitive and very severe crime. "To get access to this information, there needs to be a crime that is punishable by imprisonment and where a prosecutor believes charges can be made that leads to prison. In those cases, the ISP can hand over the information to the police. I don�t know how they think they will get through this by suing the ISP."

According to Patrik Hiselius the problem lies with record companies rather than ISPs whether they block or not. He also gave a hint how to get back on Track against piracy, "The best way to meet the demand for music and film on the Internet would be to make good, simple legal services available with good pricing. The legal sites still have lots of shortcomings when it comes to availability."

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Written by: Matti Robinson @ 28 Mar 2008 1:43

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14 comments

Blackjax

Quote:According to Patrik Hiselius the problem lies with record companies rather than ISPs whether they block or not. He also gave a hint how to get back on Track against piracy, "The best way to meet the demand for music and film on the Internet would be to make good, simple legal services available with good pricing. The legal sites still have lots of shortcomings when it comes to availability."
This has been said over and over again by many people yet the fat cat CEO's still don't get it. I guess their busy scratchin' in their litter boxes or busy lickin' themselves!

edited for spelling.

28.3.2008 04:50 #1

PetahG

I love sweden now!

28.3.2008 06:13 #2

21Q

ALL of my music comes from youtube. I download the video then convert it to an mp3. I'm paying for music, I have a massive selection, and it's not illegal (I think). But yes it's very good that these ISP's are fighting back and actually wanting to obey the law. I mean, the internet should already be free, but being treated fairly is the next best thing.

28.3.2008 07:14 #3

BludRayne

Originally posted by 21Q: ALL of my music comes from youtube. I download the video then convert it to an mp3. I'm paying for music, I have a massive selection, and it's not illegal (I think). But yes it's very good that these ISP's are fighting back and actually wanting to obey the law. I mean, the internet should already be free, but being treated fairly is the next best thing.Wow, your music must be of poor quality if you're doing it that way.

28.3.2008 12:25 #4

ivymike

Makes me wish that the United States was more like Sweden.

28.3.2008 22:28 #5

duckNrun

Originally posted by 21Q: ALL of my music comes from youtube. I download the video then convert it to an mp3. I'm paying for music, I have a massive selection, and it's not illegal (I think). But yes it's very good that these ISP's are fighting back and actually wanting to obey the law. I mean, the internet should already be free, but being treated fairly is the next best thing.Quick question. IF you are downloading your music from YouTube... exactly HOW are you paying for it? And I agree with the above post regarding quality.

29.3.2008 11:19 #6

c1c

I can see Youtube music not sounding too bad with a set of cheap earbuds. I just think it is really funny how the best of the best in audio (dvd-a, super audio cd, etc.) gets over shadowed by terrible quality mp3. The consumers really controlled the whole music market.

Power in numbers.

29.3.2008 12:07 #7

xSModder

ehhh
there are times when people just upload music with the album art, i was making a vid the other day and got a near flawless Imogen Heap song. i figure it's easy piracy that is really easy to do..direct downloads as well

but yeah
if something gets blocked thepiratebay will rise and overcome the block and enlighten the users as they have done before..it's a bullsh*t attempt at best..don't strangle the people that pay you..

29.3.2008 18:31 #8

dbs2

TeliaSonera has extensive experiense in spying, blocking and killing their smaller competitors. Using typical mafia style practices they control whole contries. Their criminal activities have not been investigated yet. No matter how much effort it takes, no matter how long time it takes, no matter how the swedish government tolerates to mafia style business, TeliaSonera will finally fully respond for the criminal actions agains our companies.

TeliaSonera MUST STOP SPREADING CORRUPTION AND BRIBERY IN LITHUANIA!

Www.dbs.lt

29.3.2008 23:46 #9

Mez

21Q, of course it is illegal! However, like recording the radio no one is going to come after you. Because 1) how do they know what you are doing, 2) they have set a presedent by not going after anyone for the last 50 years. It is too late to go after you now.

The reason they let Youtube 'giveway' music and videos is the quality is like the radio, ultra poor.

31.3.2008 08:21 #10

drpastl

You know this subject gets so old like kicking a dead horse. If you ever watch programs talk shows, mtv or vh1 or the web, every once an a while you hear the artist,(BAND) say they released their song or songs to torrent websites to see how many downloaded their music and how well its doing by what is being said etc. so if they are doing this then how hard is it to see why people continue to download and for most that I have talked to myself included end up buying the cd anyway. even tv stations play episodes for free
nothing like sending mixed messesges in reality there makeing millions and their crying. yeah ok D

8.4.2008 00:52 #11

Mez

drpastl, the great evil in pirating is even though 90+% of what a pirate down loads do not effect sales a small bit does. The P2P movement is still growing to the point it is now an avalanch. I blame the industry for not being reasonable. I believe it has gotten out of hand and no one will be able to put the genie back in the bottle.

You are right about the artists. They still can get money by touring and they make a very small percentage on CD sales. P2P is free advertising for them even though they lose procedes.

8.4.2008 07:34 #12

ZooGrA

possiblity for future downloading and stopping piracy....

include it in taxes? hmmmm

16.4.2008 15:39 #13

drpastl

Originally posted by Mez: drpastl, the great evil in pirating is even though 90+% of what a pirate down loads do not effect sales a small bit does. The P2P movement is still growing to the point it is now an avalanch. I blame the industry for not being reasonable. I believe it has gotten out of hand and no one will be able to put the genie back in the bottle.

You are right about the artists. They still can get money by touring and they make a very small percentage on CD sales. P2P is free advertising for them even though they lose procedes.The one thing I dont understand is the industry knows about all the different ways of downloading legally or not! You can barly go to the movies with a date when the ticket prices are so high, unless you go to the early shows, dont want to look cheap) I would really like and would pay if they had the same movies come out on the same day, online and in theaters, to watch the movie at their websites, and not have to go out if you want to do the family thing. this way I would like to think it help all the way around. you will always have piracy but it just might lower the count if you can watch it now instead of waiting for it to come out on vongo or dvd.

13.5.2008 04:09 #14

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