Quote: "Except not, it's more like a building some people own that's full of post-it notes, anyone can come into the building and add new ones or look at the existing ones and the owners don't care what's written on them. It's just that the majority of the notes have directions written on them for places where you can do illegal things."
I think that is a perfect analogy. That's exactly what the pirate bay is doing, even as they themselves admit. What then is the owners liability, if any? Is it purely a personal matter or should the public have a say in it as well?
Certainly you would think... "If you don't like what's posted on those notes, don't go there or allow your children to go there." It's not hurting you if you stay away from it. But what about the content of the notes? What if one of them was your address and instructions on how to break in to your house - what to take? What if someone read how to steal your car, and did it?
The neighbors have been complaining for years that they are being robbed because of the notes, but the owner of the house say's that he is doing nothing illegal. He simply opened up the house and allowed them to post notes for job openings, and apartment sharing and such. It's not his fault if people are using it to plan robberies. This goes on for years and more and more people are robbed. Still, the owner says he is doing nothing wrong. He laughs at the neighbors and begins to post his own notes in the house, making fun of them for complaining about being robbed.
Silly story, isn't it? That would never happen.
There is a part of me that want's to back TPB, simply for the sake of what's legal and what isn't. Perhaps it's just standing behind the little guy and not letting the big companies push people around and buy their own brand of justice.
The reason I can't is that TPB had been informed time after time of their "search engine" being used for illegal activity. Not only were they knowledgeable of the facts and totally irresponsible in there running of the operation, but they taunted and made fun of those who were being robbed and otherwise financially damaged by it.
As far as I'm concerned - personally, not legally - they deserve whatever trouble, aggravation, jail time, fines, etc... they get. If only for their total disregard of other rights and property.
Brian.
