Slides prep'd for a polemical session as part of the RSLG discussions

1. Pirate Politics?
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2. Where to begin?
• Sweden
▫ Liberal history
▫ Neutrality
▫ Free speech
▫ Anonymity
▫ Protection of sources
▫ Relaxed copyright laws
▫ Cheap 100-Mbps broadband network
▫ Downloading for personal use legal
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3. Where to begin?
• Antipiratbyrån (Swedish Anti-Piracy
Agency)
▫ Founded in 2001
▫ Funded by MPAA
▫ High profile raids on ‘torrent’ sites in 2004
▫ EU Copyright Directive 2006 rendered filesharing
illegal
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4. Where to begin?
• Antipiratbyrån (Swedish Anti-Piracy
Agency)
• Piratbyrån (aka The Pirate Bureau)
▫ Founded in 2003
▫ Think tank opposed to current intellectual
property laws
▫ Founders established The Pirate Bay in 2003
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5. Where to begin?
• Piratpartiet (aka The Pirate Party)
▫ Sept 2006: Riksdag elections – 0.63% of vote
▫ Dec 2006: EU Copyright Directive (2006/116/EC)
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6. Where to begin?
• Piratpartiet (aka The Pirate Party)
▫ Sept 2006: Riksdag elections – 0.63% of vote
▫ Dec 2008: overtook the Green Party
▫ Feb 2009: overtook the Left Party
▫ April 2009: overtook Liberal Party & the Christian
Democrats
▫ May 2009: overtook the Centre Party
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7. Rapid growth
• The 3rd
largest political party in Sweden (49,000
members)
• 2nd
largest party amongst 18-29 year olds
• 4th
largest amongst 30-44 year olds
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8. 2009 European Parliament elections
• Pirate Party received 7.13%
of the Swedish vote
• 2 of 18 Swedish MEP seats
▫ Lars Christian Engström
▫ Amelia Andersdotter
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9. Pirate Parties International
• Founded in 2010
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10. Pirate Party UK
• Founded in Aug 2009
• Response to pressure from the UK copyright lobby
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11. 11

12. Pirate Party UK
• Founded in Aug 2009
• Response to pressure from the UK copyright lobby
• An end to excessive surveillance, profiling, tracking and
monitoring on individuals by Government and big
businesses.
• Ensuring that all members of society have real freedom of
speech and real freedom to enjoy and participate in
humanity's shared culture.
• Copyright and patent law reform: legalise non-commercial
file sharing and reduce the excessive length of copyright
protection, and prevent patents being used to stifle
innovation or manipulate prices.
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13. Pirate Party UK
• The Pirate Party is a new type of political party.
▫ A party that talks about issues the other parties ignore.
▫ A party free from corruption and expenses scandals, free from
lobbyists and party whips.
▫ A party that is not left wing or right wing.
▫ A party that admits it doesn't always have all the answers, and is
willing to listen.
▫ A party that wants to give you more rights not burden you with
any more taxes.
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14. Digital Economy Bill/Act
• Rushed through Parliament during the ‘wash-up’
on 8th
April 2010
• Came into force 8th
of June 2010
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15. Digital Economy Bill/Act
• Web-blocking powers
• Suspension of internet accounts
• ISPs to monitor subscribers (DPI)
• Open wi-fi restrictions
• Ofcom’s powers
• Ownership of orphan works
• The role of Channel 4
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17. Alternates?
• Open Rights Group
• 38degrees
• Being Threatened?
• Don’t Disconnect Us
• a2f2a
• Which?
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18. ACTA
• Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
• Plurilateral agreement regarding the
establishment of global standards in relation to
intellectual property rights enforcement
• Increased surveillance
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19. Pirate Party UK
• Zero chance of getting elected in UK under the
first past the post system
• Aim to raise awareness
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20. Questions…
• Can this party be taken seriously?
• How effective are they at raising awareness of
the issues at hand?
• Do they support or undermine other related
pressure/interest groups?
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