A political debate has in started in Sweden to discuss the merits of filesharing and whether it should be made leagal to download regardless of copyright restrictions
http://sigfrid.wordpress.com/2008/01/07/decriminalize-file-sharing/Sweden is one of the world’s most prominent technology nations, and our technology friendliness must be reflected in our policies. As part of a global network, we can offer Internet users all over the world the freedom of information that they are denied in their home countries.
Decriminalizing all non-commercial file sharing and forcing the market to adapt is not just the best solution. It’s the only solution, unless we want an ever more extensive control of what citizens do on the Internet. Politicians who play for the antipiracy team should be aware that they have allied themselves with a special interest that is never satisfied and that will always demand that we take additional steps toward the ultimate control state.
For this reason, the Antipiracy Bureau will demand new tools that further intensifies the surveillance of the Internet. The simple truth is that almost all communication channels on the Internet can be used to distribute copyrighted information. If you can use a service to send a message you can most likely use the same service to send an mp3-song. Those who want to prevent people from exchanging of copyrighted material must control all electronic communication between citizens.
These are mini-quotes folks, the full translation is available from the link above and make a simple but concise case for not following the anti file sharing lobby into a chineses style of state sponsored censorship, that once it is in place will be near impossible to move back from, lets do our best to ensure the bad guys dont win on this and kick up a stink each time someone wants to read our private email with their plans for control.
