BitTorrent site sues for IFPI compensation over block

The Pirate Bay has asked a Dutch court to order music industry group IFPI for monetary compensation for a block placed on it by ISP Tele2..

If the site wins its case, any monies received would go towards supporting independent artists who use file sharing to promote their music. Currently the original case between IFPI and Tele2 is under appeal.

The IFPI had attempted to use the decision in the Dutch courts to force Swedish ISPs to also comply with a block, but that effort failed as those companies pushed back and called the block illegal under European law.

However, saying that the block is against the law may be not be altogether accurate. The Infosoc Directive is actually more of a proposal with how the EU should deal with file sharing. There, the government says that blocking should be considered unfavorably.

Regardless, the popular file sharing site is fighting back. Above this, it is looking for a "reasonable amount" of money, it told TorrentFreak. Pirate Bay admin Brokep called it "poetic justice" to have such a program essentially sponsored by the IFPI.

While the block was in place, the group launched another site called The Jesper Bay, which happened to be the name of the Dutch head of the recording industry group. In it, it provided instructions on how to circumvent the Tele2 block.

IFPI had no immediate comment.