The Pirate Bay Co-Founder Sues Music Industry For Defamation


The Pirate Bay’s co-founder Peter Sunde is taking an ironic stance. He recently tweeted his intention to sue many major music labels for defamation, even though the site legally owes them for damages incurred due to copyright infringement.

It may just be a sign that the site has the best name recognition, as there are plenty of torrent sites listing links to files that may or may not be violating copyright infringement. Ideally, torrent sites are meant to aid users in sharing files between them. Yes, you can do the same thing through Facebook Messenger and Skype, but there are size limitations to what you can send through those methods. The limitations were probably enforced to keep users from making the applications a conduit for the illegal trading of copyrighted material.

You could easily use sites like The Pirate Bay to find perfectly legal files like game mods, useful computer maintenance applications, and even home movies. However, that isn’t what they’re known for. Torrents have become synonymous with downloading illegal copies of movies, music, TV shows, and video games.

Taking part in the distribution of copyrighted material without the approval of the copyright owner is a crime punishable by hefty fines and prison time. Millions get away with it every day, but that doesn’t make it any less of a crime.

Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music, Warner Music, and EMI all won a collective lawsuit against Sunde last week for allowing users to illegally share music through The Pirate Bay. The Helsinki District Court has ordered him to pay them nearly $400,000 in damages, and a million-euro fine if the site continues to allow this to happen.

The problem is that Peter Sunde hasn’t been with the site for 10 years, and he has no control over it. He wasn’t even aware that there was a lawsuit against him until the ruling was handed down. This prompted Sunde to fight back, as there is little he can do outside getting involved with the torrent site once more and actively removing all links to music from copyrighted sources.

“I’ve decided I’m going to sue them for damage against my good name and stealing a lot of time from me…. I’m a public person in Finland and they’re calling me a criminal when they KNOW I’m not involved in what they’re suing me for. It’s defamation…. It’s getting very obvious the case will be won by me and it’s time to hit them back. Attacking has always been my best defense and I’m going to demand what I’m owed finally.”

Peter Sunde isn’t defending The Pirate Bay as much as deflecting legal attacks against him for having co-founded it. It’s the equivalent of being arrested for the robbery of a convenience store when all you did was suggest the idea to whoever did it. It wasn’t his decision to facilitate recent internet piracy despite the site’s suggestive name.

Sunde has already served prison time for similar reasons before, and he’s spent his time working on art projects and distancing himself from the site. He actually believes The Pirate Bay should have been shut down shortly after he left it behind.

Kicka** Torrents has faced similar actions and opted instead to move their site under the proverbial radar.

What do you think should happen to prevent Peter Sunde from being harassed over his past involvement with The Pirate Bay?

[Image via Gil C/Shutterstock.com]

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