From the Pirate Bay Homepage:
Of course you can argue a lot if copyright laws are still matching the times we live in but I think what’s perfectly over the line is people banning from the internet for breaking them. What do you think being without internet means for your social situation in the future? Do we also forbid reading if somebody creates a photocopy of a book? Would that be reasonable?
Luckily in Europe at least the Medina report which is in favour of a graduate response which results in banning people from the internet for e.g. sharing files illegally (however that is determined, probably automatically) is now from the table (for more information visit La Quadrature du Net). It also cannot be voted upon again anymore which of course does not mean that not a similar proposal is coming along.
All of this seems to be thanks to a huge mobilization of voters in relation to the upcoming election.
Still the question what we do about copyright is still open and many more attempts of the media industry to retain their traditional position will come. It might be a natural reflex but isn’t new and won’t work out. The only fear I have is the collateral damage it might create. If filters are to be installed at ISPs many people might have various interest in using them for the one or other application. Like in germany the government is discussing right now to install DNS filters to block child porn. This of course very shortsighted and only of symbolic character because it can easily be circumvented. There is also the threat that those filter lists leak to the public and moreover if we start filtering the net we will create a huge risk for democracy. Finally it will not solve the problem.
So we still have to fight to keep the internet a free and open institution. Because of all the fear those new times are creating it is under attack and we need to make sure it’s staying that way.
So dear media industry, please adapt and prosper, don’t fight a hopeless fight.
And btw, if laws are really made in the name of the people I wonder what a poll result will be when being asked if sharing files should be legal or illegal.