UPC blocking Piratebay on court request, some confirmed reports

TheDoc · 23-10-2012 12:58pm #1

This is a weird one.

I can access fine, few friends today mentioning they have got the following

http://i.imgur.com/tAXZl.jpg

Havnt heard anything, thought it would be big news.

Anyone heard anything, or getting similar?

MOD WARNING:

No posting work arounds for any ISP blocks, this is the one and only warning about this. Any more posts with workarounds and its a 1 month ban no exceptions!

subway · 23-10-2012 1:05pm

can you resize the image?
i havent heard anything about it and can access from here (afraid to restart my modem though)

page doesnt 404 if you follow the link suggesting its real to some extent

http://www.upc.ie/System/Block/999/38111162/tpb/

TheDoc · 23-10-2012 1:09pm

subway wrote: »

can you resize the image?
i havent heard anything about it and can access from here (afraid to restart my modem though)

page doesnt 404 if you follow the link suggesting its real to some extent

http://www.upc.ie/System/Block/999/38111162/tpb/

I'll leave the image there as a link.

I'm fine at present, and a few lads have confirmed it works for them, yet others are saying blocked.

I would have thought that it would be big news if true. I know UPC in like Holland has had to comply with a blocking rquest or something, but didn't hear anything for here.

subway · 23-10-2012 1:17pm

I would have thought it would be all over silicon Republic and the likes if there was a judgment.

Darth Floodric · 23-10-2012 3:46pm

I'm getting blocked too by the main address but if I Google piratebay and not click the website heading but rather browse music or browse torrents I can gain access.Strangely enough I can access piratebay on other devices in my house.But yeah this message is alarming.I like to see piratebay as a metaphor for freedom of internet.

AllGunsBlazing · 23-10-2012 4:03pm

Still works for me. But the page load time is dog slow.

Alun · 23-10-2012 4:04pm

Working fine here on UPC.

kaimera · 23-10-2012 4:52pm

fine here

zero19 · 23-10-2012 4:54pm

Working for me too...

Sparky · 23-10-2012 5:50pm

Works fine here.

How many people that see it blocked are using UPC's nameservers?

Alun · 23-10-2012 7:29pm

Sparky wrote: »

Works fine here.

How many people that see it blocked are using UPC's nameservers?

I use UPC's DNS servers and I'm not blocked.

BTW I do this mainly because using Google or OpenDNS screws with sites that use Akamai.

lovethymac · 23-10-2012 8:45pm

Looks like they are getting ready for the inevitable :-(

N64 · 23-10-2012 8:50pm

Plenty ways around it. Nothing to be concerned about at all, even if they do decide to block it.

starviewadams · 23-10-2012 9:31pm

Grand here.

24-10-2012 12:14am

Was working for me earlier but is now blocked.

A.Gorilla · 24-10-2012 12:19am

Defo blocked....just a few mins ago

Dariukas · 24-10-2012 12:19am

agreed. Had access before midnight - now not anymore...

jillyb · 24-10-2012 12:27am

hey if you go to the site: <SNIP> - its a different web address for pirate bay. Its a little slow though but still usable

Tea_Bag · 24-10-2012 12:28am

blocked here now.

can still be accessed via IP address <SNIP>

I'll change my DNS to openDNS and see if its still a problem when the lads give me a chance.

Dariukas · 24-10-2012 12:29am

nice IP to remember tea_bag!

TouchingVirus · 24-10-2012 12:31am

Not blocked over here ...yet

Eric Cartman · 24-10-2012 1:14am

Not blocked here yet

TheDoc · 24-10-2012 9:45am

Not blocked here either, but more mates saying it is now

TheDoc · 24-10-2012 9:48am

Confirmed TPB blocked by PC by court order

http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-censored-in-ireland-after-mysterious-court-order-121024/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Torrentfreak+%28Torrentfreak%29

Although SiliconeRepublic are doing some digging they just said, and that it might have been an error

0ph0rce0 · 24-10-2012 9:53am

I love this

just makes me feel even better that i can still easily access the site and download what i want through simple proxy means.

Plus now that its blocked i want to use the site even more :rolleyes: Great advertising for TPB, IRMA IDIOTS

Skatedude · 24-10-2012 9:55am

working fine for me on upc with upc dns

inforfun · 24-10-2012 10:02am

Try this <SNIP>

Tim Kuik is the guy responsible for blocking TPB in Holland.
He is part of an organisation called Buma who support the music industry. Ah well, they say they support the artists.

The man is busy taking everybody to court and while his succes rate is quite low, he still wins some cases because judges in Holland are from a time there were still dinosaurs around and have not a ****ing clue what the internet is about.

A few weeks ago, Dutch website www.geenstijl.nl was fined for having a link on their website to some playboy pictures for example. So they weren't hosting these pics, they had a link to them.
What this means is that google could basically be fined for every single search result because there will be some copyright material on the returned results.

The problem with the internet is that our "overlords" (government, judges etc and such) in general have no ****ing clue about technology in general and the internet specifically. And therefor clowns like Tim Kuik (and i am sure every country has their own Tim Kuik) do have an influence on what you can and can not see on the internet.

TheDoc · 24-10-2012 10:03am

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

I love this just makes me feel even better that i can still easily access the site and download what i want through simple proxy means.

Plus now that its blocked i want to use the site even more :rolleyes: Great advertising for TPB, IRMA IDIOTS

Well yeah for us more tech savy heads, and then a simple google search for a casual user will allow them total access also.

I'm just talking with SiliconeRepublic briefly, they are going to look into it this morning to see what is what. They hopefully have a line into UPC to get some comment. UPC Twitter support stonewalling me.

It would appear that some people are affected, and others arn't, which is weird.

TheDoc · 24-10-2012 10:06am

It might be worth at this point refraining from providing ways to circumvent the block at this point, I'm sure moderators will have a view on that, and I dont want the thread closed. And granted anyone with half a brain cell can google search.

Out of interest no matter what link I type in for TPB, it takes me to thepiratebay.se , their new main domain from some time ago. Few friends saying they can't get anything on this link, bar the block order, but it doesnt go to ".se"

24-10-2012 10:52am

Seems to be working fine for me currently.

While you still have TPB, the entire collection of TPB can be downloaded in a 90MB file. Albeit, the file was uploaded in February.

Still, might be worth downloading.

Direct Magnet link:
<SNIP>

TheDoc · 24-10-2012 11:43am

Seriously,

Stop posting links and workarounds. Considering boards its OTT with the Sherlock legislation not in effect yet, youll get the thread locked,

Everyone knows about workarounds, and everyone should know about the magnet backups, they dont need to be posted

Cabaal · 24-10-2012 1:15pm

Guys, you should know better,

No posting work around for any ISP blocks, this is the one and only warning about this. Any more posts with workarounds and its a 1 month ban no exceptions!

TheDoc · 24-10-2012 1:33pm

It has to be recognized that it simply achieves nothing really. My Twitter timeline being spammed with workarounds and the likes, even coming from reputable sites. It is that easy.

Also an interesting read was the rise in customers to UK based proxy services. VPN and proxy hosts are very common now, and its as easy as ever to setup and use, aswell as being pretty much the safest method to surf and download, with most reputable companies not keeping any logs on their customers.

As always, I feel the simple "blocking" of sites to be a serious concern to do with how we use the internet and the freedom it curtails, but also a wasted exercise on the part of the Entertainment industry, much better served developing methods and ways to combat piracy of their product directly.

All it does is give the sites blocked massive publicity, as shown today by the upshot in traffic to TPB, as the news of the UPC block travels global (alot of tech news sites running the story of the Irish UPC block)

Considering this is our biggest and best ISP, looking like they are providing their first ever block notice, I'm worried for what more is to come.

mikelit · 24-10-2012 1:34pm

UPC denies plans to block The Pirate Bay in Ireland - 'our position has not changed' - Siliconrepublic
http://siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/29887-upc-denies-plans-to-block-t

TheDoc · 24-10-2012 1:54pm

mikelit wrote: »

UPC denies plans to block The Pirate Bay in Ireland - 'our position has not changed' - Siliconrepublic
http://siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/29887-upc-denies-plans-to-block-t

Yeah Silicone just mailed me back with that link.

Nice to see, crisis averted, panic is over.

I took a backup of the internet just incase....

DeVore · 24-10-2012 2:02pm

If nothing has changed, wtf was that page all about?

TheDoc · 24-10-2012 2:03pm

DeVore wrote: »

If nothing has changed, wtf was that page all about?

UPC Holland had a court order this week that was rolled out.

It is plausible that perhaps that page exists for most UPC countries, and maybe just got publicized by accident, who knows, but it does need an explanation.

As it clearly has Irish reference

jjpep · 24-10-2012 2:03pm

Sorry to hijack but it does bug me when folks equate the pirate bay with internet freedom. Taking luxury goods like movies, music, software etc is just stealing. Internet freedom is to do with freedom of expression of ideas. Downloading the avengers movie and not paying for it isn't really an idea...

R0ot · 24-10-2012 2:09pm

jjpep wrote: »

Sorry to hijack but it does bug me when folks equate the pirate bay with internet freedom. Taking luxury goods like movies, music, software etc is just stealing. Internet freedom is to do with freedom of expression of ideas. Downloading the avengers movie and not paying for it isn't really an idea...

While you are probably correct for the most part, implying all torrents are for illegal purposes is just wrong.

Aside from this the problem is where does someone draw the line? Should youtube be blocked? boards be blocked for articles posted here from news sites? News sites like wikileaks that exposes political activities ?

TheDoc · 24-10-2012 2:34pm

jjpep wrote: »

Sorry to hijack but it does bug me when folks equate the pirate bay with internet freedom. Taking luxury goods like movies, music, software etc is just stealing. Internet freedom is to do with freedom of expression of ideas. Downloading the avengers movie and not paying for it isn't really an idea...

The principle isnt " o **** where will we get our free stuff?!?!?"

There is 101 better and bigger places to illegally download then the TPB. But it is turning into a flagship for the biggest debate and probably change that will come to this generation of online users.

We are seeing an increasing involvement from our governments and authorities on social networking to try eliminate or curtail the the anonymity that resides with being on the internet.

Its a fascinating debate and constant change of events that's intriguing. The whole point is precedence. When the first site gets blocked, the first takedown notice gets approved, it turns into open season, this forum for example would get a **** ton of take down notices in an instant.

It is about ensuring the way we operate on the internet, and the freedom we enjoy, isnt curtailed by those who fail to grasps its most deepest concepts.

jjpep · 24-10-2012 2:44pm

Not implying that all torrents are for pirating but that is 99% of what the pirate bay is used for. Youtube does have in place a have paying copyright holders (not a huge amount afaik but it least it has one).

Bringing up boards and wikileaks though is exactly right. Same with what the doc is saying about the pirate bay essentially being a rallying point for internet freedom. The problem is that its the wrong rally point. Its exists only as a money making device for its owners (advertising selling). It does nothing to promote actual freedom of though, politics etc. But it hides behind the idea that its about freedom.

The rallying points should be things like wikileaks, the greatfirewall of china etc.

KyussBishop · 24-10-2012 3:35pm

jjpep wrote: »

Not implying that all torrents are for pirating but that is 99% of what the pirate bay is used for. Youtube does have in place a have paying copyright holders (not a huge amount afaik but it least it has one).

Bringing up boards and wikileaks though is exactly right. Same with what the doc is saying about the pirate bay essentially being a rallying point for internet freedom. The problem is that its the wrong rally point. Its exists only as a money making device for its owners (advertising selling). It does nothing to promote actual freedom of though, politics etc. But it hides behind the idea that its about freedom.

The rallying points should be things like wikileaks, the greatfirewall of china etc.

The Pirate Bay doesn't even host any copyrighted content, it is a big collection of links, and even the links themselves aren't to copyrighted content.

There is no principal you can use to censor that, which does not equally apply to literally every website on the Internet, so it is an all or nothing thing.

It's the same way you don't defend someones free speech rights selectively based on what they say, you have to defend it for everyone, even if it means defending someones right to spout repugnant/offensive/bigoted things.

jjpep · 24-10-2012 3:44pm

Sorry but thats just an argument based on semantics. People go there to get stuff for free that they would otherwise have to pay for. The method of how they do that doesn't make it okay.

I agree with your other point though, free speech has to be defended for all. Its just that the pirate bay is nothing to do with with free speech its to do with getting free stuff.

KyussBishop · 24-10-2012 5:28pm

It is not 'just semantics', the logical conclusion of your argument (since you're talking about linking to stuff, which is speech), is that every website and service on the Internet has to police and automatically moderate everything that users post, because you will be arguing for any website that links to copyrighted content to be censored, which is totally impractical.

That is what The Pirate Bay is doing, linking to stuff, not hosting (which most definitely is not copyright infringement, and is not considered that legally either).

That has a massive chilling effect on free speech, and is why defending The Pirate Bay is exactly like defending another persons right to free speech.

You don't defend peoples free speech rights based on their intentions (and you are talking about the intentions of TPB's users, not the website operators), you defend free speech rights on principle, regardless of the intentions behind certain speech.

jjpep · 24-10-2012 8:16pm

Sorry but it is completly semantic. And there is no freedom of speech element here with regards the pirate bay. Its simply people making money in an illegal way from the work of others. And the worse thing is that they pretend what they're doing is a freedom of speech issue. Its not. Its the pirate bay making money.

The people who operate they pirate bay do it for one intention only - profit.

The real problem then is it does have a chilling effect on free speach. Laws like sopa get passed because goverments tell us they need that power to close down theft based sites like that. What will happen then is they'll use that power to close down things like wikileaks which is based on the idea of freedom of speech.

KyussBishop · 24-10-2012 10:30pm

jjpep wrote: »

Sorry but it is completly semantic. And there is no freedom of speech element here with regards the pirate bay. Its simply people making money in an illegal way from the work of others. And the worse thing is that they pretend what they're doing is a freedom of speech issue. Its not. Its the pirate bay making money.

The people who operate they pirate bay do it for one intention only - profit.

The real problem then is it does have a chilling effect on free speach. Laws like sopa get passed because goverments tell us they need that power to close down theft based sites like that. What will happen then is they'll use that power to close down things like wikileaks which is based on the idea of freedom of speech.

Well, I'll leave it at this since we have a fundamental disagreement about the illegality of what TPB does; I agree though that copyright infringement is illegal, but to try and expand the definition of what copyright infringement is to cover TPB, would make Google equally illegal.

jjpep · 24-10-2012 10:41pm

Fair enough, not to belabour the point though - why do people go the pirate bay? To get free stuff that otherwise they would have to pay for. Why do people go on google? Loads of reasons - what to find out who DK has picked for the november internationals, get the news, read a review of a movie etc etc. Your not comparing like for like really. BUT the actions of something like pirate bay does threaten the freedom of something like google.

Anyway we'll leave it there if you want.

KyussBishop · 24-10-2012 10:49pm

Well, there are plenty of links to non-copyright infringing content on The Pirate Bay; for example, here is a Linux distro:
magnet:?xt=urn:btih:a5f38328423c1eb8e88948756894cab991b31637&dn=Linux+Mint+13+KDE+%2832-bit%29&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.ccc.de%3A80

There are also plenty of links to copyright-infringing content on Google (there are, in fact, far far more links to copyright-infringing content on Google than The Pirate Bay).

They are both search engines for different kinds of content; Google for website pages, The Pirate Bay for torrent files.

There is no clear way to draw the line between the two; if you try to draw a line, it has to be done in a very ambiguous/arbitrary way, which creates a big threat to free speech.

Gadgetman496 · 24-10-2012 10:55pm

So if you use Google to find a tutorial to lets say fix a problem with your car, are you stealing the potential earnings or livelihood of a mechanic?

jjpep · 25-10-2012 7:00pm

No. If you make your own game are you stealing someone's potential income? No, your making your own game. If you steal someone else's game instead of paying for it. Yep, your stealing.

Fixing a car yourself and not paying for say a movie is not like for like. Fixing your car and making your own movie is like for like.

Riesen_Meal · 25-10-2012 7:07pm

jjpep wrote: »

No. If you make your own game are you stealing someone's potential income? No, your making your own game. If you steal someone else's game instead of paying for it. Yep, your stealing.

Fixing a car yourself and not paying for say a movie is not like for like. Fixing your car and making your own movie is like for like.

Have you ever downloaded a film or tv show illegally as a matter of interest?

UPC blocking Piratebay on court request, some confirmed reports

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