Courts Reject Request to Block Access to Torrent Downloads

A request filled by the Greek Copyright Protection Society (AEPI) for Internet providers to block access to torrent files was apparently rejected by the Greek court system. According to the ruling, the AEPI request was deemed excessive in its scope and violates the principle of proportionality, as it would not only block potentially illegal activities, but also many legitimate practices.

Furthermore the courts claim that the measures which AEPI requested violates the freedom to information and privacy of communication, among other rights. The EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights is also infringed, as AEPI’s request conflict with ISPs rights to entrepreneurship and the principle of net neutrality.

The courts also addressed that the violation of intellectual property is less of a concern to the creators themselves and more of a concern for the culture industry.

The courts also argued that the measures proposed by AEPI are inefficient, as blacklisted torrent services often change their IP addresses and remain available.