ISP appeals verdict that closed Pirate Bay

IDG News Service - Swedish ISP Black Internet has decided to appeal in the Stockholm district court the verdict that led to it closing file-sharing site The Pirate Bay's data connection.

"This is a very important question for all ISPs and we can't just lay down," said Victor Möller, CEO at Black Internet.

At the end of August the Stockholm district court ordered Black Internet to shut down the connection that The Pirate Bay used, and the ISP complied.

Directly after shutting down the site, Möller told Computer Sweden that it wouldn't appeal, because that process would become too expensive and laborious. But Möller has changed his mind.

"The district court made a very controversial decision. The entire ISP business needs some clarity in this matter. A door has been opened and we don't know what's behind it," he said.

The Stockholm court's decision goes back to a motion filed by the movie and record companies seeking to fine the people behind The Pirate Bay operation, including Black Internet, as long as The Pirate Bay users can access copyright-protected material. The court sided with the arguments made by the movie and record companies and decided that as long as Black Internet provided a connection to The Pirate Bay, it aided in continued copyright violations.

Black Internet is also about to unite with others interested in questioning the court's decision. Möller wasn't ready to elaborate on who those parties are.

"It isn't ready yet, but there are others who are interested in how this goes," Möller said.