The problem

With the Intellectual Property Enforcement Directive the EU gives the media cartels strong powers to demand large sums of money from internet users. They can start a secret legal process and force an internet service provider to divulge the customer behind an IP address. The provider is legally prohibited from telling the customer about it. The victim's bank account can be frozen while they are sued for high punitive damages. Despite this it is a civil and not a criminal process meaning that the burden of proof is as heavy for the accused to prove their innocence as for the accuser to prove their guilt. If the accused loses they also have to pay the media companies' legal costs.

All this means that the attacked usually accept to settle out of court regardless of the truth of the accusations, making it cheap and efficient for the cartels to extort money from many people.

The solution

Mullvad hides your IP address. It can not be traced back to you.