InstantIdiocy

Swedish Pirate Party Heading for EU Parliament

Support for the Swedish Pirate Party really began to surge with the introduction of the IPRED anti-piracy legislation. Its membership already surpassed that of the Green Party, with more than half of men under 30 reportedly considering voting for them in the 2009 European Parliament elections. Then a guilty verdict was handed down in the [...]

The Soloist

The Soloist Director: Joe Wright Writers: Susannah GrantSteve Lopez Starring: Jamie FoxxRobert Downey Jr. Rating: PG-13 Qutoes: You only got two strings.I have had a few setbacks.I have never loved anything the way he loves music.Nathanial has one thing going for him right now a friend. The Soloist is about an old discarded Juilliard musician that has had some really bad breaks. He is living [...]

RIAA’s Hostile Takeover of the Internet

Earlier this month, four Pirate Bay visionaries were given harsh fines and jail sentences. Their only crime: creating the largest, free, uncensored, versatile file sharing platform on the Internet. Soon after, Taiwan passed 3-strikes legislation for copyright violations. The recording industry is no longer targeting pirates – they are actually trying to hijack the very [...]

Swedish MP Wants His ISP To Delete Personal Data

Under IPRED it will be easier for copyright holders to get the personal details of alleged file-sharers from ISPs. This week we reported how some Swedish ISPs are effectively neutralizing the tough IPRED legislation by deleting records and not gathering future data about their customers’ Internet usage. Earlier legislation said that it’s not compulsory for [...]

Goodbye Solo

Goodbye Solo Director: Ramin Bahrani Writers: Bahareh AzimiRamin Bahrani Starring: Souleymane Sy SavaneRed WestDiana Franco GalindoLane WilliamsMamadou LamCarmen Leyva Rating: No rating Quotes: Ten people can sleep in here.I want you to get your things, leave, and don’t comeback.Do you ask all your passengers why they want to go places?   Every once in awhile a small independent movie comes along that can take you [...]

Why Pirates Buy More Music and Music Labels Fail

In the past we’ve documented studies that showed how the majority of artists sell more music thanks to piracy and that those who download (more) also buy more. Last week another study was added to this ever growing list, arguing that pirates are 10 times more likely to buy music than those who don’t. So why [...]

Wyzo 3, The BitTorrent Web Browser

We first discovered Wyzo when it was released in June 2007. The project showed potential but many reported problems with the packaged FireTorrent extension during the early stages. The team had difficulty finding the right people to take the project forward and this combined with a lack of funding resulted in the project being discontinued [...]

‘Bad’ BitTorrent and Warez Sites Raided By Police

In 2007 the US planned to put a federal prosecutor in Budapest, Hungary, to “assist in the coordination of the enforcement of intellectual property laws”. Almost immediately action was taken against some BitTorrent and warez sites operating in the country. In 2008 it was recommended in an International Intellectual Property Alliance report that Hungary should remain [...]

Swedish ISPs Obstruct New Anti-Piracy Legislation

The controversial Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive (IPRED) has gathered opposition from various sides, most notably half of the Swedish public. The law, which gives rights holders the authority to request the personal details of alleged copyright infringers, has also been met with resistance from ISPs. As early as November, an op-ed was written by ISP [...]

Taiwan Bans Torrent Sites, Brings in 3 Strikes for File-Sharers

Yesterday Taiwan passed revisions to its copyright laws which hit file-sharing pretty hard. The amendment makes it a crime to use P2P technology to facilitate the distribution of copyrighted works online, which sounds like pretty bad news for Taiwanese torrent sites who previously operated in a legal gray area. For ISPs, the legislation provides a double-edged [...]