Implications of Torrenting in the Netherlands

Internet users in the Netherlands can download copyright-infringing content without fear of legal sanction. A Supreme Court ruling in 2010 that made monitoring peer-to-peer sharing illegal effectively scuppered any chance of prosecuting downloaders and ushered in a period of consequence-free copyright piracy.

However, this may be changing. Several Dutch ISPs have been forced by court orders to block piracy sites, including the Pirate Bay. The ruling could lead to further censorship in the country. The court’s decision undermines a principle known as net neutrality, which states that Internet access providers should treat all electronic traffic equally.

This means that ISPs shouldn’t be allowed to block or prioritise services such as WhatsApp and Skype, which are popular among expats. The ISPs plan to appeal the ruling.

Despite a lack of prosecutions, many Internet Netherlands users in the Netherlands still break copyright laws and pirate content on a regular basis. One of the most common violations is streaming illegal IPTV. Illegal IPTV is a subscription service that offers TV channels, sports and movies through the Internet, rather than over traditional cable or satellite networks. Research by Bournemouth University shows that it is a growing threat, with users spending tens of millions of euros on illegal IPTV subscriptions instead of paying for legal ones.

The Legal Implications of Torrenting in the Netherlands

In an attempt to thwart the growth of illegal IPTV, anti-piracy group BREIN has been trying to track down pirates and send them warning letters. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. A recent court ruling ruled that ISP Ziggo isn’t required to forward the group’s notices to subscribers who use their service to share copyrighted content. Ziggo argued that linking the subscriber’s IP address to their personal details would violate privacy law and that sharing the information with BREIN wouldn’t be allowed.

The ruling has sparked controversy in the Netherlands and abroad, with many claiming that it is another step towards censorship. Moreover, it is an attack on the principle of net neutrality, which is essential for the development of a legal online market and to protect consumers against illegal competition. Dutch ISPs have argued that the court’s decision was based on outdated arguments and that it should be overturned by the European Court of Justice.

Despite the controversies, BREIN is determined to continue its efforts against online piracy in the Netherlands. However, the group has stated that it will only go after sites and services that facilitate piracy. It will not target individual downloaders as doing so would be difficult and expensive. In fact, a copyright troll has to threaten around 1,000 people with a lawsuit before they get a single payment. Besides, it is more cost-effective to pursue those who actually upload a large amount of content. Moreover, these individuals are often wealthy and can afford to pay large amounts of money. For this reason, it is a good idea to use a VPN when streaming and downloading in the Netherlands. A reliable VPN will not only protect your privacy but also your devices against online threats.