Sweden’s new anti-file sharing laws have resulted in an immediate 30 percent drop in Internet use. The new file sharing laws that resulted from the landmark Pirate Bay trial are based on the European Union’s Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive (IPRED).
This legislation makes it possible to order any Swedish Internet operator to provide details identifying [...]
Sweden’s new anti-file sharing laws have resulted in an immediate 30 percent drop in Internet use. The new file sharing laws that resulted from the landmark Pirate Bay trial are based on the European Union’s Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive (IPRED).
This legislation makes it possible to order any Swedish Internet operator to provide details identifying suspected copyright infringers. The effects of the new laws were almost instant. The day the laws came into effect, Netnod reported that Internet traffic was 30 percent on the day before, The Local newspaper said.
Anti-Piracy Agency lawyer Henrik Ponte says this is proof that people are sharing copyrighted material in Sweden and that the fear factor of the law works. “The majority of all internet traffic is file sharing, which is why nothing other than the new IPRED law can explain this major drop in traffic,” he told Metro. “This sends a very strong signal that the legislation works.”
To further encourage Swedish file sharers to abandon their activities, the Swedish Anti-Piracy Agency (Antpiratbyran) wants to send information pamphlets to suspected file sharers’ homes. Whether the small-time pirates can be brought to justice remains to be seen, but the effect of the laws certainly suggest a lot of Swedes are involved in sharing copyrighted material such as movies, games and music.