United Kingdom
editOn 20 February 2012, the High Court in London ruled that The Pirate Bay facilitates copyright infringement.[1] The operators of The Pirate Bay were not represented at the hearing.[2] On 30 April 2012 Justice Arnold ordered Sky, Everything Everywhere, TalkTalk, O2 and Virgin Media to block access to the site.[3] BT "requested a few more weeks to further consider its position."[4] Virgin Media began blocking access to the site on 2 May 2012.[5] A source at The Pirate Bay claimed that it had received 12 million more visitors on the day after the ban than it had ever received before, commenting "We should write a thank you note to the BPI."[6]
BT has adapted its Cleanfeed system to enforce the block. The Pirate Bay commented "As usual there are easy ways to circumvent the block. Use a VPN service to be anonymous and get an uncensored Internet access, you should do this anyhow."[7] A study by Lund University suggested a 40% rise in the number of 15- to 25-year-olds using VPNs since 2009.[8]
On 10 June 2012, TalkTalk began blocking access to the website for its UK customers.[9] O2 and Sky Broadband have implemented the block, and on 19 June were joined by BT. Attempting to access The Pirate Bay via BT will produce the message "Error – site blocked".[10][11] Other ISPs show a message explaining the court order, with The Pirate Bay logo and a link to the BPI website.[12]
In mid July ISP data suggested that P2P traffic in the UK had dipped 11% just after the block, but then swiftly recovered to nearly the level before the block was enforced. "...volumes are already pretty much back to where they were before." The ISP released the figures anonymously to the BBC.[13]
In December 2012, a proxy of The Pirate Bay website run by the Pirate Party UK was shut down following a threat of legal action by the British Phonographic Industry.[14]
- ^ "Pirate Bay vows to go underground over blocking threat". BBC News. 20 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-03-26. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
- ^ Dramatico Entertainment Limited et al. v British Sky Broadcasting et al. [2012] EWHC 268 (Ch) (9 February 2012), High Court (England and Wales)
- ^ "The Pirate Bay must be blocked by UK ISPs, court rules". BBC News. 30 April 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-02-15. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ Kobie, Nicole (30 April 2012). "Court orders ISPs to block The Pirate Bay". PCPro. Archived from the original on 2013-05-08. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ Halliday, Josh (2 May 2012). "Pirate Bay blockade begins with Virgin Media". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 2013-02-22. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ^ Westaway, Luke (4 May 2012). "Pirate Bay claims record number of visitors following ISP ban". CNET. Archived from the original on 2012-08-06. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- ^ "TPB gets censored in the UK". The Pirate Bay. Archived from the original on 6 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ^ "File-sharers look to VPNs to overcome Pirate Bay ban". BBC News. 2 May 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-12-19. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- ^ Fiveash, Kelly (11 June 2012). "Now TalkTalk cuts Brits' access to The Pirate Bay". The Register. Archived from the original on 2013-12-06.
- ^ Brewster, Tom (7 June 2012). "BPI Expects BT To Block Pirate Bay 'Soon'". TechWeek Europe. Archived from the original on 2013-07-29.
- ^ "The Pirate Bay says BT block already breached". BBC News. 20 June 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-11-25. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- ^ Brown, Mark (21 June 2012). "BT is the final major ISP to block The Pirate Bay". Archived from the original on 2013-02-28.
- ^ Lee, Dave (16 July 2012). "Pirate Bay block effectiveness short-lived, data suggests". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22.
- ^ Lee, Dave (19 December 2012). "Pirate Bay proxy gets shut down after music industry legal threat". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2013-08-06.