Monday, June 8th 2009
Pirate Party Elected to EU Parliament
The Pirate Party silenced skeptics, gathering enough votes in the European Union elections this year, to make it to the Parliament from Sweden. This serves as a huge victory to the party whose ideology revolves around fighting harsh and archaic copyright laws and enforcement agencies, that it finds incompatible with the digital age we live in. The party secured 7.1 percent of the 99.9 percent districts' votes counted, which guarantees at least one of the 18 or 20 seats Sweden contributes to the EU Parliament. Sweden has 20 seats, but until the Lisbon treaty passes only 18 with voting rights. In this case, the party might secure 2 seats.
Rick Falkvinge, leader of the party, in a statement to TorrentFreak said "Together, we have today changed the landscape of European politics. No matter how this night ends, we have changed it." National and International press gathered in Stockholm, where the party celebrates its landmark victory. "This feels wonderful. The citizens have understood it's time to make a difference. The older politicians have taken apart young peoples' lifestyle, bit by bit. We do not accept that the authorities' mass-surveillance," Falkvinge added.The voter turnout for the elections was 43 percent. Nearly 200,000 people voted for The Pirate Party, way up from its performance in the 2006 Swedish national elections, where it secured 34,918 votes. With their presence in the EU Parliament, the party wants to fight the abuses of power and copyright laws at the hands of the entertainment industries, and make those activities illegal instead. On the other hand they hope to legalize file-sharing for personal (non-commercial) use.
Source:
TorrentFreak
Rick Falkvinge, leader of the party, in a statement to TorrentFreak said "Together, we have today changed the landscape of European politics. No matter how this night ends, we have changed it." National and International press gathered in Stockholm, where the party celebrates its landmark victory. "This feels wonderful. The citizens have understood it's time to make a difference. The older politicians have taken apart young peoples' lifestyle, bit by bit. We do not accept that the authorities' mass-surveillance," Falkvinge added.The voter turnout for the elections was 43 percent. Nearly 200,000 people voted for The Pirate Party, way up from its performance in the 2006 Swedish national elections, where it secured 34,918 votes. With their presence in the EU Parliament, the party wants to fight the abuses of power and copyright laws at the hands of the entertainment industries, and make those activities illegal instead. On the other hand they hope to legalize file-sharing for personal (non-commercial) use.
268 Comments on Pirate Party Elected to EU Parliament
The other industries are a bit more difficult. The movie industry needs to lower their prices I think, they are attempting to jack things up too high. They are adjusting though w/ netflix and such streaming, and the new $1 movieboxes here in the US, but they still need a bit better overall prices to avoid piracy. Gaming is tougher, again lower prices will help, but they need more adjustment than any of the the other industries IMO. Almost ironic considering they are the most tech of the bunch.....
Assuming one downloaded MP3 means one less album sold (And I am giving you the benefit of the doubt there) - Even then we're talking about pennies for the artist himself.
Piracy is wrong, no doubt there, but this claim of yours is completely baseless.
I should stop reading forums while I code. Never leads to the right conclusions.
Sorry everyone...
How much was it out of the sale of every $20 CD that an artist got in the end? $1? $2?
I am an artist as well, and personally I would like nothing more than for people to hear my music on a grand scale, passing it around and giving copies to all their friends and family. I want it to be heard because of the message, and my purpose, not solely for making money.
Please have a listen to my new song "Food For Thought". Please listen to the lyrics, don't just breeze through it. Also, please pass it around! Thanks!
www.fileden.com/getfile.php?file_path=http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/6/8/2470210/Food%20For%20Thought.mp3
I did every aspect of this song (rapping, production, everything) except for the beatboxing.
Breathless
Consider that.
Did you know that artist typically get paid less than 8% of the sale price of the CD/mp3. Think about where the other 92% is going before you scream about maintaining the status quo in the music distribution industry.
Fact 2. Think about it the other way... perhaps music artists are being stolen from by the music industry. 92%. And often the contracts with the artists include cost subtractions, like they get 8% only AFTER all marketing and promotion has been paid.
The artist, especially inexperienced ones, get locked into contracts that last a lifetime. The get "legally" stolen from for all the music they write or perform.
Fact 3.
Most people that argue against the methods and contracts of the various collection agencies such as ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, RIAA etc... DONT argue against copyright, per se, but about how it should be fairly managed, and if someone does breach copyright, the penalty should be equal to the injury and not 1000x more, like all this RIAA nonsense in the US.
Fact 4.
The music industry is attempting to go down the "licensing" route, just like software. You will not own music you buy, but have the right to listen to it a number of times. That is known to be the next step of what they want to implement. First DRM control, then number of plays control. Just like the same way you pay per minute for using the phone, or per GB for using the internet, or per burger that you eat, so you will pay per minute for listening to music
This method of distribution is equally valid. Although I for one dont want it. Imagine buying a chair or a bed and you were only allowed to sit down do many times before you had to pay again!
Fact 5.
Consumer rights and civil rights are being constantly eroded. Any party that STANDS against that wins my favour. So long as they stay ethical.
And no they aren't the same, ones just openly racist the other isn't. And how are they going to find this new music on the interwebs? Artists need the companies to promote them.
EDIT: Or better yet i wouldnt mind if some of those record companies just disappeared. Nobody wants/needs them anymore.
Most artist are for organizations like the RIIA to protect their work. Intellectual property is in fact PROPERTY and its not something that can be protected by junk yard dogs or high fences. This is why the RIIA exists. To protect investments. So you bastards keep stealing and keep using semantics to sway the argument in your favor. The fact remains if you take something for sale and do not pay for it you are in fact a THEIF.
As for these Pirates being elected I have one word for you. Bush.