Prosecution Sees Setbacks in Day 7 of Pirate Bay Trial

STOCKHOLM — The prosecution continued to stumble in the case against the four men behind leading piracy and file-sharing site The Pirate Bay. The case has extended into its seventh day.

Acting as a witness for the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry was attorney Magnus Mårtensson, who offered evidence that he had successfully downloaded music files using dot-torrent files gathered from The Pirate Bay.

But he ran into trouble when he had to reveal that his only evidence was a collection of screenshots he took of his actions. Defendant Gottfrid Svartholm Warg pointed out that Mårtensson had used no tracking software to record his activity.

The prosecution also once again downgraded its charges against the four defendants, Carl Lundström, Peter Sunde, Frederik Neij and Warg, dropping an earlier claim that a user must have "all of the Pirate Bay's components" in order to download files.

As of Day 2 of the trial, the prosecuting attorney had dropped half of the charges against the four defendants. The charges originally held the four responsible for "complicity in the production of copyrighted material."

Prosecutor Håkan Roswall has altered those charges to simply read "complicity to make [copyrighted material] available."

The four men behind the popular torrent file search engine The Pirate Bay are on trial in Sweden, accused of helping millions of users download all kinds of illegal content.

The defendants are looking at up to two years in prison and about $140,000 in fines (1.2 million kronor) if convicted.

Related:  

Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Brazil Launches Complaints Page for AV Violations, Other Issues

Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) on Monday debuted a portal where citizens can report possible violations of the country’s Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents (Digital ECA), which requires adult websites to age-verify users located in Brazil.

FSC Launches 'Speak Out' Media Campaign for Creators

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has announced the launch of FSC Speak Out, a media campaign for content creators to tell their stories.

Pineapple Support, Stripchat to Host LGBTQ Support Group

Pineapple Support and Stripchat are hosting a free online support group for LGBTQ+ individuals within the adult industry, titled "LGBTQ and Proud."

Pornhub Awards Fiesta: A Night of Music, Dancing and Camaraderie

The eighth annual Pornhub Awards transformed Los Candiles Night Club in Glassell Park into a celebration of glamour, glitter, fashion and fame Wednesday night, as performers, creators and industry insiders toasted the year’s winners and danced late into the night while Diplo and Midnight Mary kept the party pulsing from behind the decks.

Ukrainian Parliament Rejects Porn Decriminalization Bill

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, on Thursday voted against passage of a bill that would have decriminalized the creation and distribution of pornography in that country — an activity that currently carries a prison sentence of three to five years.

FSC Launches Pride Fundraising Drive

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has launched its Pride Fundraising Drive to support its efforts on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.

Cultpix Debuts AI-Generated Vintage Adult Films at Cannes

At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, B-movie streaming service Cultpix debuted a collection of AI-generated short films drawn from erotic magazine photo spreads published 50 years ago.

Ofcom Fines Youngtek Solutions $800K for AV Noncompliance

U.K. media regulator Ofcom on Wednesday imposed fines totaling 600,000 pounds (more than $800,000) against adult site operator Youngtek Solutions for failing to implement age checks and respond to information requests as required for compliance with the Online Safety Act.

Pornhub Launches Lesbian Site 'Pornhub Sapphic'

Pornhub has launched Pornhub Sapphic, a site dedicated to female and non-binary content and creators.

Brazil Invites Public Input on AV Guidelines

Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) on Friday launched a public consultation on developing guidelines for age verification mechanisms under the country’s Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents (Digital ECA), which requires adult websites to age-verify users located in Brazil.

Show More