Maybe a trend is starting. Wouldn't the Music/Software Industry love that!
Before you get too excited, note that a fee is charged on every blank CD
or DVD you buy in Spain, part of which goes to music companies. People buy
them in 500 packs.
Have you guys heard of the Pirate Party?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_Party
The Pirate Party (Swedish: Piratpartiet) is a political party in
Sweden. The party strives to reform laws regarding intellectual
property, including copyright, patent and the protection of design. The
agenda also includes support for a strengthening of the right to
privacy (such as private property and private information), both on the
Internet and in everyday life. Since it does not have an agenda on any
other issues, the party claims it is not possible to place it anywhere
on the left-right scale.
<snip>
The Pirate Party captured 34918 or 0.63% of the overall votes in their
first participation at an election for parliament since the founding of
the party less than 10 months ago, becoming the 10th biggest party of
more than 40 among the parliament vote, placing third amongst the
parties outside of the parliament. A voting result at less than 4% does
not qualify for seats in the Swedish Parliament. Getting more than 1%
of the vote would have granted the party financial assistance from the
state for printing ballots while at least 2.5% would grant them
state-fundings for the next election. Despite the setbacks, Falkvinge
is already planning for the 2009 European Union elections and the 2010
Swedish election.
