On 31 May 2006, police launched one of the largest raids in Swedish history, seizing servers from The Pirate Bay - a hugely popular but highly controversial file-sharing website.
Co-founder Peter Sunde managed to copy a backup meaning the site could relaunch just days later. He became a folk hero among internet users who relied on the platform for free access to pirated films and music.
Sunde and his fellow founders were eventually jailed for assisting in the unauthorised distribution of copyrighted content.
He’s been speaking to Maddy Savage about The Pirate Bay’s battle with Hollywood and the global music industry.
A PodLit production.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.
(Photo: Peter Sunde speaking to reporters outside court in Stockholm during his trial. Credit: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)