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Ex-Pirate Bay Admin Launches Micropayment Service

Posted by timothy on from the a-bit-cheeky-don'tcha-think dept.

spyrochaete writes "Peter Sunde, formerly 'brokep' of The Pirate Bay, recently launched a beta version of Flattr — a micropayment service enabling internet users to tender cash payments to any participating content publisher. Its model enables users to divvy monthly subscription fees as donations awarded to the musicians, bloggers, photographers, or other publisher of their choice. Sunde tells the BBC, 'We want to encourage people to share money as well as content,' and asserts, 'people love things and they want to pay.'"

4 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I am not so sure about this. by snaggen · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The good thing about this arrangement is that it will make it easier to donate money. It doesn't matter how many Flattr I click I still have the same cost, I do not have to keep track just to know I have the money on my account. I also don't have to take so many decisions, like how much to I think this song/game/application/book is worth or do I really going to enjoy it so it is worth anything at all, I just click.
    So there are clear advantages of this arrangement. And I do not see it as a way to charge for a product, but as an alternative to the PayPal donate button.

  2. Re:I'm with stupid by xous · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Hi,

    As far as I know Sunde has never been accused of pirating anything. ThePiratebay was and still is legal in Sweden.

    Just because you can use their service to illegal distribute content does not make the creator a pirate. This would be the equivalent of calling the city a 'drunk driver' because it builds the streets that can be used to facilitate drunk driving.

  3. Re:I'd like to see this connected to ThePirateBay by BiggerIsBetter · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This.

    If an actual media producer decided to distribute via BT, they could even get paid for it. Combine it with a market system where the punters decide what to (micro)pay for their torrent, and some extensions to BT software (perhaps similar to the rate selector, you have a $ selector), and you've got a brilliant means of distributed media distribution that can completely bypass big media.

    --
    Forget thrust, drag, lift and weight. Airplanes fly because of money.
  4. Re:I'm with stupid by duguk · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you're genuinely comparing someone who offered free movies and music via his website and was smacked down for it to NELSON FUCKING MANDELA and you're not high, you need to sort your fucking priorities out.

    You do know Nelson Mandela blew up trains? He was a terrorist.

    Personally, I'll stay with the copyright infringers.