iTnews
  • Home
  • News
  • Technology
  • Networking

VPN boon as young Swedes seek anonymity

By Liam Tung on May 3, 2012 7:03AM
VPN boon as young Swedes seek anonymity

Tough anti-piracy laws or 'big brother' paranoia?

A survey by researchers from the Swedish Cybernorms group has found a surge in the use of paid online anonymity services by young people.

Cybernorms, affiliated with Lund University Internet Institute (LUii), found that 15 percent of 1000 respondents aged between 15 and 25 used some form of anonymity services, suggesting around 200,000 young Swedes are using such services.

Cybernorms project leader Måns Svensson extrapolated from that figure that nationally 700,000 of Sweden's 9 million population (roughly seven percent) are using anonymity services, Swedish daily SVD reported.

The anonymity services included for example, the Pirate Bay’s fee-based Ipredator VPN, Tor and a local service Sprend, amongst others. 

The January 2012 survey is the third in a series beginning in 2009, when the group began investigating whether the introduction of Sweden's anti-piracy IPRED laws affected the adoption of such services.

Cybernorms found a 1.6 percent increase after the introduction of IPRED in its two 'before and after' IPRED 2009 surveys.   

Back then 10 percent of respondents reported using an anonymity service. 

Despite finding a strong correlation between the use of anonymity services and file sharing, the increased use of anonymity services occurred while Sweden’s anti-piracy law, IPRED, has been effectively “on hold”, Cybernorms research member from Lund University Stefan Larsson told iTNews.  

“Our data shows that [VPN usage] has been increasing from 2009 to early this year with only some increase in copyright enforcement but it hasn’t been as strong as it could be,” said Larsson.

The 2009 IPRED legislation in theory allowed rights holders to demand an ISP hand over the names of suspected file-sharers. However, it had been suspended until Sweden's Supreme court determined whether it conflicted with the EU's Data Retention Directive.

The European Court of Justice last month ruled there was no conflict, clearing the way for the resumption of IPRED-based attempts by rights holders.   

“The problem for copyright holders was that IPRED was on hold and therefore the ISPs can choose how long they can save the data,” explained Larsson.

“The EU court’s decision will almost certainly lead to more copyright owners or their representatives [trying] to use IPRED to get identification data. If it turns out in [rights holders'] favour, my guess is that the use of anonymity services will increase even more."

Another trend that the researchers noted in the most recent survey was an increase in the number of people who never file-share taking up anonymity services. 

“This may be a response to what is often perceived as governmentally initiated attempts to increase control, traceability and accountability for online behaviour in the digital domain,” the researchers note in a draft of a forthcoming final report.  

Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Copyright © iTnews.com.au . All rights reserved.
Tags:
copyrightcybernormsipredlundnetworkingpiracypiratebaysociologysoftwareswedentelco/isptor

Partner Content

Security "mindset shift" needed to protect organisations
Promoted Content Security "mindset shift" needed to protect organisations
How to turn digital complexity into competitive advantage
Promoted Content How to turn digital complexity into competitive advantage
Accenture and Google Cloud team up to create a loveable, Australian-first, renewable energy product
Promoted Content Accenture and Google Cloud team up to create a loveable, Australian-first, renewable energy product
Digital signatures propel Australian Unity with rapid time to value
Digital signatures propel Australian Unity with rapid time to value

Sponsored Whitepapers

Free eBook: Digital Transformation 101 – for banks
Free eBook: Digital Transformation 101 – for banks
Why financial services need to tackle their Middle Office
Why financial services need to tackle their Middle Office
Learn: The latest way to transfer files between customers
Learn: The latest way to transfer files between customers
Extracting the value of data using Unified Observability
Extracting the value of data using Unified Observability
Planning before the breach: You can’t protect what you can’t see
Planning before the breach: You can’t protect what you can’t see

Events

  • Forrester Technology & Innovation Asia Pacific 2022
By Liam Tung
May 3 2012
7:03AM
0 Comments

Related Articles

  • Don't miss Australia’s premiere IoT Conference on 9th June
  • Top 5 Benefits of Managed IT Services
  • Australian carriers ordered to block more pirate streamers
  • NBN Co claims progress in fortnight-long Sky Muster internet outage
Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Email A Friend

Most Read Articles

Services Australia sets changeover date for myGov

Services Australia sets changeover date for myGov

Google Cloud IoT Core goes on the end-of-life list

Google Cloud IoT Core goes on the end-of-life list

NBN Co proposes to axe CVC across all plans by mid-2026

NBN Co proposes to axe CVC across all plans by mid-2026

Bunnings assembles a tech team of 700 in four years

Bunnings assembles a tech team of 700 in four years

Digital Nation

Edge and IoT critical to Web3 infrastructure
Edge and IoT critical to Web3 infrastructure
Crypto losses to crime surge to $1.9 B in first half of 2022: Chainalysis
Crypto losses to crime surge to $1.9 B in first half of 2022: Chainalysis
CommBank’s mobile banking app beats ANZ, NAB, Suncorp and Westpac: Forrester
CommBank’s mobile banking app beats ANZ, NAB, Suncorp and Westpac: Forrester
Stakes are higher for cybersecurity in Web3: Gal Tal-Hochberg, CTO at Team8
Stakes are higher for cybersecurity in Web3: Gal Tal-Hochberg, CTO at Team8
Save the Date — Digital Nation Live launches on October 25
Save the Date — Digital Nation Live launches on October 25
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorisation.
Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of nextmedia's Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.