The Pirate Bay and the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) are currently locked in a compelling legal showdown that will have far reaching consequences for the future of BitTorrent and file-sharing technology. Whether The Pirate Stays online or not, the pressure is building thanks to a continued effort from the IFPI to bring justice to the four defendants, Peter Sunde, Fredrik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm, and Carl Lundström.

Justice is something that may be difficult to come by. The Pirate Bay's Peter Sunde has said the trackers that form the Pirate Bay's community are in an unknown location. The IFPI doesn't seem too impressed, and is seems to be gearing up for their next legal assault against The Pirate Bay. There's a lifespan to everything, and The Pirate Bay is no different. The question is, whether The Pirate Bay will still exist in the months to come. To understand the current position of the IFPI after a Swedish court found the four defendants guilty, Slyck interviewed John Kennedy, Chairman and CEO of the IFPI.

Slyck: Three weeks after the conclusion of the trial, The Pirate Bay is still online. Does this temper the legal victory enjoyed by the entertainment industry?

John Kennedy: This was a criminal trial, concerning activity by four individuals in relation to a limited number of works available on The Pirate Bay during a defined time period in 2005 and 2006. Therefore criminal convictions themselves did not (and were not expected to) end the operation of the service. A range of legal steps, in Sweden and internationally, are available to protect copyright holders from the continued operation of the service.

Slyck: With The Pirate Bay still online, tens of millions of people are still actively searching for and exchanging files. What can you tell us about the efforts being taken to force The Pirate Bay offline? What progress is being made to coordinate their removal? Would you say The Pirate Bay's lifespan at this point is limited?

John Kennedy: Rights holders have already secured injunctions requiring ISPs to block access to The Pirate Bay in two other EU countries – Italy and Denmark. We expect rights holders will take further action in the coming weeks, but I can’t offer more detail at this stage.

[Editor’s note: the Italian block was lifted two months after the initial injunction, and is currently under counter-appeal by the IFPI]

Date: 2009-05-05 Source: http://www.slyck.com/news.php?story=1851