‘The Video Bay’ Is Released As Trial Drags On

Over the last few months we have followed trial of the “Pirate Bay Four” and seen how, although they did ultimately find them guilty, it has brought shame on the Swedish judicial system after a series of claims questioning the neutrality of the judges amid the already lengthy and convoluted trial.

As such it is unsurprising that (as we predicted) the story is back again, and with a few more variables just for good measure. Of course this has a lot to do with the fact that it is in the interest of the Pirate Bay founders to keep the story on the agenda, and I’m sure the timing of “The Video Bay” release (which I will cover later) is not coincidental.

So what’s happened now? Well the last we heard was that an inquest was being launched looking into possible bias by the original Pirate Bay Four judge (Tomas Nordstrom), and now we have an answer: according to the court he was not. According to Nordstrom’s district court he only joined the pro-copyright organisation so that he would be better informed of the issues (although why he didn’t also join an anti-copyright group is a question left unanswered) – and he was quite rightly rebuked for not telling the original court of this.

This means that the defendant’s attempts to have a complete retrial have been thwarted (which, oddly enough, they aren’t too happy about); however Peter Sunde (one of the four) has promised to fight on and take the case to the European Court of Human Rights citing that even the court judging the original judge was biased, which means the case will be dragged on that bit longer.

So, as the trail continues to be dragged on indefinitely, what better time to release another site offering ways to access media, break copyright laws and annoy the hell out of the record industry simultaneously – even Google will be irritated. Say hello to “The Video Bay”.

The easiest way to describe it would be ‘an illegal version of YouTube’. That’s not to say that YouTube is 100% legal as at any one time there are thousands if not millions of tracks, TV programmes and films on the site breaking copyright law, but at least they make an effort to restrict what goes onto the site – on “The Video Bay”, like its Pirate predecessor, pretty much anything goes.

It isn’t currently up and running as there are a few more things to be ironed out (“it will be done when it’s done” in the words of the founders) but the preview indicates that it will be relatively easy to navigate and find the stuff you are looking for – but bear in mind that although you will probably be able to find whatever you want ready to stream it will be illegal.

This is a very big provocation by the people behind Pirate Bay and as Rickard Falkvinge, the head of Sweden’s Pirate Party (which in fact got a seat in the European elections), said this was another step in a “prolonged legal battle with the record industry”. But the big question is who will win? Whether you believe in total freedom of media or that people should be able to charge for their work it cannot be denied that either outcome will have some negative responses – and this is an issue that won’t be going away soon, expect to see the Pirate Bay four again soon!

Via – BBC

Related Pages:

1. The Pirate Bay Fiasco Continues…
2. Pirate Bay Four Found Guilty!
3. Pirate Bay Sale Opens New Chapter In Saga Or Ends It?
4. Going Straight: A Solution To Internet Piracy? – Part 3
5. Going Straight: A Solution To Internet Piracy? – Part 2

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