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Web-blocking begins in Iceland
By Chris Cooke | Published on Friday 17 October 2014
With web-blocking now a tip top poptastic tactic for combating online piracy, Iceland has joined the web-blockade party by issuing a court injunction ordering various internet service providers to start blocking specific websites that exist to encourage and enable copyright infringement.
Web-block injunctions force ISPs to stop their customers from accessing file-sharing sites and services, and have now been employed in various jurisdictions around the world, and probably most prolifically in the UK.
Iceland joins the list of countries where web-block injunctions can be sought after a court there ordered net firms to block local file-sharing concern Deildu and old favourite The Pirate Bay. According to Torrentfreak, the web-block order was secured as a result of legal action led by local record and movie industry trade groups which relied on amendments made to the country’s copyright laws back in 2010.
Web-blocking is not without its critics, of course, with opponents often arguing that the blockades are easily circumvented by keen file-sharers. Though the Director Of Policy at Icelandic label group STEF seemed realistic in his response to the injunctions.
Quoted by Torrentfreak, Gudrun Bjork Bjarnadóttir said that the court ruling was an important development, though conceded “we will never reach a final victory in this battle” and that therefore “it makes sense for people to realise that it’s likely new sites will spring up”. But although that meant future web-blocking would be required ” following similar actions abroad visitor numbers to such sites have declined significantly”.
At least one local ISP was critical of the decision, though it remains to be seen if it chooses to appeal it.
