Austria is the next country to follow what could be a European trend of blocking subscribers' access to The Pirate Bay.
The Inquisitr reports that an Austrian Court has ordered A1 Telekom, a local Internet service provider, to block access to the notorious torrent site. The legal action also requires the blockade of three other "structurally infringing" sites — Isohunt.to, 1337x.to, and h33t.to.
The IFPI Austria (Federation of the Austrian Music Industry) applauded the court's decision, saying that they would be "happy to assist" in the order's implementation.
"For the further development of the online music market it is a very gratifying decision. We call on the Internet providers to work together towards a legally compliant and straightforward implementation of site-blocking," said Franz Medwenitsch, managing director of IFPI.
The Pirate Bay has long been considered one of the most censured websites on the Internet due to the proliferation of online piracy. In Europe, it is an ongoing battle for the courts to take it down and deny Internet users access to its Interet Protocol (IP). The site, however, proved to be a thorn in their side. In Sweden, the government had only several hours to celebrate its seizure of The Pirate Bay's two domains, only to learn that it was operational again within hours.
Meanwhile, ABC News reports that Foxtel, a Pay TV organization in Australia, is also taking legal advice on how to block access to the popular torrent site and other piracy-related websites within the country. However, the company, as well as legal experts and Internet user groups, were shocked to learn that even after the law was passed, the Federal Courts have not yet issued orders regarding the matter.
"We are astounded, given the urgency with which this law was passed at the urging of the rights holders, that so far they haven't bothered to use it," said Laurie Patton of Internet Australia.
Most rights holders believe that one of the reasons for the delay is that blocking websites like The Pirate Bay through the legal channels is time consuming and costly. Music Rights Australia also said that requirements for the blockade are "high and complex."
"Litigation, in any context, is a serious matter and it takes time to compile the evidence required to meet the standard of proof courts require if an applicant is to be successful and get the orders they seek," a spokesperson said.
