Pirate Bay Co-Founder Must Pay Record Labels $395,000 (torrentfreak.com)

Pirate Bay co-founder Peter Sunde has run into another setback. The Helsinki District Court has ordered him to pay $395,000 to record labels including Sony, Universal, Warner and EMI, after the music of 60 of their artists has been shared illegally through The Pirate Bay. From a TorrentFreak report:Sunde did not appear in Helsinki to defend himself so the Court handed down a default judgment. He is now ordered to pay the full amount plus costs of around $62,000 (55,000 euros) to the local branch of IFPI. He also faces a fine of one million euros if the content continues to be shared via The Pirate Bay but how he is supposed to do anything about that isn't clear. Sunde and Pirate Bay co-founders Fredrik Neij and Gottfrid Svartholm owe large sums of money to copyright holders following adverse decisions in cases dating back years. None of those judgments have been satisfied and there's no reason to believe this one will be any different.

Comments

shared through is a helluva stretch.

[nimbius]

Pirate Bay co-founder Peter Sunde has run into another setback.

He also faces a fine of one million euros if the content continues to be shared via The Pirate Bay

pretty extraordinary considering he hasnt been part of the pirate bay for nearly a fucking decade. Again, content isnt being shared, only metadata to acquire it from a distributed network of people who have it. Im sure the same media companies that employ metadata to track every iota of their customers lives are well versed in the concept.

Sunde and Pirate Bay co-founders Fredrik Neij and Gottfrid Svartholm owe large sums of money to copyright holders following adverse decisions in cases dating back years.

the point of this is you do not, and cannot win these court cases. The cases arent the point, its biblical retribution for anyone who even dares to challenge the protection racket of music and video. Most of the attorneys are just showing up to bleed the defendant dry and ruin as much of them as possible. Its harder to do in more liberal european nations, however its getting easier. Media companies have a direct in with the FBI and ICE. They can lobby to have your generally trustworthy host countries police force arrive in full tactical regalia to drag you in handcuffs to jail for a victimless crime. Kim Dot Com doesnt get to win his cases either. your money is confiscated, youre made to be tried in absentia, your case is as obfuscated as possible, and the judge has more chromosomes than a sperm bank.

Re:In other news,

[AmiMoJo]

It was a default judgement because he didn't attend court, and it's obviously unenforceable. It includes a requirement for him to prevent further infringement, even though he doesn't run the site or have anything to do with it any more. And he certainly doesn't have the money and there is no way for the music industry to collect it.

They are basically wasting their money and and the court's time, and meanwhile The Pirate Bay is going as strong as ever.