Blackout campaign spreads to Ireland, France & Second Life

After the successful delay in New Zealand after the Kiwi #Blackout campaign against the controversial "three strikes" S92 copyright clause, the Irish have also launched a #blackoutirl campain and will be running their own Big Blog Blackout day this Thursday. You can find out more information at or follow the Irish campaign tweets at #BlackoutIRL and blackoutireland.com But wait, there's more!

The French are now revolting against the HADOPI bill and running their very own 'Le Net en France - Blackout' campaign. President Sarkozy in France is being sued by a US band for using a copyrighted song in his presidential campaign. As the BBC reports in MGMT to sue Sarkozy for music use, the French premier is being sued for copyright infringement at a rather awkward time, a mere week before his three strikes law is due to go through in France.  

New Zealand was so far the only other country besides France where such a stupid law as the "graduated response" was to be voted. In France, upon N. Sarkozy's will, and defended by the minister of Culture C. Albanel, the "HADOPI" law is soon to be voted at the National Assembly. It just has been repelled thanks to a massive mobilization, during which New Zealand has proceeded to a voluntary "blackout".

 "This is a strong signal that shows the foolishness and dangerousness of this law. The "graduated response" will convict innocent people, without tangible proof and without trial. Artists will not earn more money and it will not change anything to the strategical and structural problems causing the crisis the industries asking for this law are facing." says Jérémie Zimmermann, spokesperson of La Quadrature du Net. Tshirts suporting the French protest are now being worn on avatars in Second Life as the real world protest spreads into this Virtual World

In the US the case that the RIAA & APRA are citing as 'international law' has been thrown out, and the RIAA is being sued for shonky practices. As Torrentfreak reports in 'RIAA Sued for Fraud, Abuse and Legal Sham'

"Shahanda Moursy from North Carolina has demanded a trial against three major record labels and the RIAA. Also among the defendants is Mediasentry, the company that harvests IP-addresses of alleged copyright infringers. Previously, Mediasentry’s investigation tactics were deemed illegal in several states because it operated without the appropriate and required paperwork. This is one of the many offenses being used in the present claim."

Australia has won the first stage in the fight against their proposed censorship filter and the Canadians are also fighting for net neutrality. Meanwhile in Sweden the trial of the Pirate Bay continues with half of the charges thrown out of court on the first day when Bittorrent was explained in words of one syllable to the prosecution.

Defence witness Roger Wallis who requested flowers for his wife instead of court expenses, received a mountain of blooms from Pirate Bay supporters worldwide that filled their apartment block. The trial has now closed and the verdict is due in April.