Swedish internet traffic plummets after new anti-piracy law

Internet traffic dropped sharply in Sweden this week after a law cracking down on online copyright violation went into force, Industry sources said on Friday.

The new law under the European Union's Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive, makes it easier to prosecute file-sharers because it requires internet service providers to disclose the internet protocol addresses of suspected violators to copyright owners.

Hours after it came into force, five Swedish audio-book publishers representing 15 authors filed a request for details of a server suspected of containing 2,000 illegally downloaded works.

Netnod Internet Exchange, a company monitoring internet traffic, reported that daily online usage had dropped in excess of 40 per cent since the law took effect last Wednesday.

Henrik Ponten of the Swedish Anti-Piracy Bureau welcomed the plunge in traffic as a sign that file-swappers were reducing their activity. "There's no other explanation for it," he said.

Sweden is one of Europe's most internet-enabled countries, with a huge high-speed infrastructure built into its society. On average, the Swedish broadband user currently enjoys speeds in excess of 8 Mbps (1 Megabyte per second), though services are offered at various places in excess of 50 Mbps (6.25 Megabytes per second) as well.

Sweden's extensive societal internet infiltration and adoption has made the country a desirable hub for would-be hackers, pirates and thieves who like to conduct their illegal surfing in the fast lane. There are currently concerns over the new law, that it will put Sweden's position as a leader in online technologies at risk.