Topic: Pirates Bay

The film industry is accused of using "prestige" and awards to mask the greed of high-budget "tentpole" pictures. A technical explanation is offered for why blockbuster movies rarely win major awards: studios often refuse to release digital screeners for these films to prevent high-quality leaks on sites like Pirates Bay, thereby limiting their exposure to award voters.

UK courts have ordered ISPs, including Virgin Media, to block access to The Pirate Bay. During a BBC "Today" program interview, the host and a Member of Parliament argued that the internet should be regulated like other media, specifically targeting the availability of pornography to children as a justification for broader ISP censorship.

The European Union Parliament is set to vote on the "Blackout Europe" legislation, which includes "three strikes" rules for internet users and increased ISP monitoring. The discussion notes the recent blocking of The Pirate Bay in the UK and the use of child pornography laws as a pretext for broader internet filtering and bandwidth throttling.

The hosts discuss a Danish ISP's refusal to block The Pirate Bay despite legal pressure. They contrast this with a proposed "three strikes" rule in the United Kingdom, which would require ISPs to monitor traffic and disconnect users caught downloading illegal files. The segment includes a brief tangent about the cultural differences between baseball and cricket.