This document discusses the rise of pirate politics in Sweden and the UK in response to increased copyright enforcement and internet regulation. It outlines how Sweden's Pirate Party grew from a small political party receiving 0.63% of the vote in 2006 to becoming the third largest party in Sweden by 2009 due to its support for issues like file sharing and internet freedom. It also describes the founding of the UK Pirate Party in 2009 in response to pressure from copyright lobbyists and discusses its platform and role in raising awareness of issues related to surveillance, copyright reform, and internet regulation.

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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