News You Could Do Without

News You Could Do Without

by Mike Masnick


Filed Under:
bittorrent, file sharing, significant blow

Companies:
mpaa, pirate bay, riaa



How The RIAA/MPAA Helped Catapult The Pirate Bay Into Being One Of The World's Most Popular Sites

from the nice-work,-guys dept

It's been almost exactly two years since the entertainment industry had the US government push Swedish officials into shutting down The Pirate Bay. At the time, entertainment officials went on and on about what a "significant blow" the takedown was against all those folks using the site for unauthorized copies of entertainment content. Of course, as we all know, the site was back up within days -- and thanks to all the media attention about the raid and the takedown, the site's traffic shot upwards to the point that it's now considered to be one of the top 100 sites in terms of traffic. Quite a "significant blow," huh?

22 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    May 20th, 2008 @ 3:19am
  • Grand Moff Tarkin: Princess Leia. Before your execution, I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the emperor now.

    Princess: The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.

    Just change the names to RIAA/MPAA and PirateBay and the way the story plays out makes it clear why their corporate qua imperial mindset forced them into contriving their own doom.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 20th, 2008 @ 3:28am
  • Like kids...

    by Nate

    It is kinda like when parents make too big a deal of keeping their kids out of the liquor cabinent. The minute you leave those kids alone, the curiousity is going to get the best of them... http://www.custompcmax.com

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 20th, 2008 @ 3:42am
  • I'l attest to that!

    by some old guy

    Before the **AA decided to make TPB so popular, I never visited it. Nowadays, I check there first for just about all my download needs.

    Why? ...cause the quality is better. Pirated good are inherently BETTER than retail goods. No DRM, no Spyware, No excessive cd spinning (that rapidly destroys drives..)

    I actually have money, and don't mind spending it on things, but I will NOT pay to have my computer be victimized, nor will I fund the initiative to strip me of my rights.

    It's a matter of principle.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • May 20th, 2008 @ 6:49am
    • Re: I'l attest to that!

      by Anonymous Coward

      I go there second, when I can't find a legal source for the content I want. Unfortunately (and maybe it's just user error), I haven't been able to find anything I want there, either.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    May 20th, 2008 @ 4:00am
  • by Chunky Vomit

    Maybe the kind of "blow" they are talking about is of the "job" kind?

    That is the sort of thing that shoots up my traffic. Maybe the same is true for the Pirate Bay? Judging by the goofy smile on their faces, I think so.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 20th, 2008 @ 6:50am
  • by Anon

    RIAA smells of updawg.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 20th, 2008 @ 7:00am
  • by Anonymous Coward

    arggggggggggggggggggggg matey

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 20th, 2008 @ 8:01am
  • "Buy and sell like a MOGUL!" TM

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 20th, 2008 @ 8:30am
  • lulsauces

    by I CAN HAS VICTORY?!

    Software and entertainment piracy just makes sense. If you don't provide a way to acquire it legally, I'm going to download it. If you attempt to violate my computer with intrusive nonsense that screws up my other applications, then I'm going to pirate it as well.

    Like BSG for instance... I don't have TIVO, I can't go to their website to view it like NBC's Heroes tv show let you do, and it's not out on DVD. Solution? Download it.

    It's that simple.

    It's not a tangible item and I'm not distributing it for money, there fore it's legal. Entertainment companies are just trying to squeeze blood from a stone. They don't need my 10 bucks when they're already making multi millions per weekend.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • May 20th, 2008 @ 8:59am
    • Riiiiiggght.

      by Sneeje

      Two wrongs make a right, up is down and white is black. How about, if you can't afford something or more likely don't believe that the price is worth the value to acquire something legally, you do without? There's an idea.

      I dislike the music industry and RIAA as much as anyone, but I can't accept the ethics of rationalization or "end justifies the means." This logic is too situational to be applied consistently.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

      • May 20th, 2008 @ 11:12am
      • Re: Riiiiiggght.

        by MLS

        Your point concerning "ethics" is in my view on the money. Why pay for something when you can get a copy for free?

        I am no fan of the DCMA and other similar legislation, as well as some of the copy-limiting technologies used by content providers. Even so, their existence and use is no excuse for thumbing one's nose at content providers. If people do not like what particular companies are doing, then buy something else.

        (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    May 20th, 2008 @ 8:47am
  • How Do I Get Some of This?

    My website is www.NewWorldEssays.Com Google and Yahoo won't take my ads, due to 'editorial content'. So.. How do I get the 'Entertainment Industry' to sue me and/or take down my site for a few days? Sounds like a winner to me.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 20th, 2008 @ 9:15am
  • The writing is on the wall

    by Melvillain

    Hey dinosaurs, that's one big-ass meteor headed your way.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 20th, 2008 @ 9:15am
  • by Anonymous Coward

    I would have never heard of pirate bay without the RIAA. Thanks for passing the word.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 20th, 2008 @ 9:51am
  • Pirate Bay? Hmm...

    by Nitro

    I had read about it once before here and blew it off. Now my interest is peaked and I too will have to take a look.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 16th, 2009 @ 3:21am
  • moon?

    How's China printing industry developed this years, who can tell us? China based plastic injection molding services with low costs and supeior quality Steel and aluminum scaffolding for construction is a very useful tool.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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