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Taiwan Denies Use Of 'Pirate Party' Name Because People Might Think They're Actual Sea-Faring Pirates

Stupidity

from the aaaaargh dept

Tue, Jun 26th 2012 7:34pm — Mike Masnick

Last year, we wrote about how the Russian Pirate Party was refused recognition because officials there didn't like the name, stating that it "is an attack on sea or river craft, which is a criminal offense." Apparently, something similar has happened in Taiwan, where someone who sought to establish the Taiwanese Pirate Party has been denied, after being told that it is "improper" because of "bad connotations" with the word "piracy." So much for "taking back" the word. The guy, Tai Cheh actually fought this decision in court... and has still lost. According to TorrentFreak:

In its ruling, the High Administrative Court agreed with the Ministry of the Interior’s stance that the use of the word ‘Pirate’ did not accurately describe the true aims of the Party.

The MOI said that the term “pirate” could mislead members of the public into voting for people they believed to be real, sea-based pirates. The country’s Criminal Code outlaws acts of piracy, the MOI added.

Are they really concerned that the party will advocate sea-faring piracy?

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Filed Under: pirate party, russia, tai cheh, taiwan

38 Comments

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Beta (profile), 26 Jun 2012 @ 7:45pm

which is worse?
"The MOI said that the term �pirate� could mislead members of the public into voting for people they believed to be real, sea-based pirates. The country�s Criminal Code outlaws acts of piracy, the MOI added.

Are they really concerned that the party will advocate sea-faring piracy?"

Are they really concerned that the public would choose to vote for real pirates?
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 7:46pm

Not to throw a wrench in this article, Mike, but for a tiny island nation that's actually something of a legit concern.

But is it bad that I *still* think this is hilarious
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M, 26 Jun 2012 @ 7:53pm

I think "Internet Party" would probably be a better name at this point anyway.
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Torg (profile), 26 Jun 2012 @ 7:56pm

Re: which is worse?
And if they think that the people really, truly want to be ruled by seafaring pirates, who are they to say no? Isn't that the whole point of voting?
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Carlos Sol�s a.k.a. ArkBlitz (in the rest of the I (profile), 26 Jun 2012 @ 8:16pm

What about Kopimi Party?
If the name Pirate Party rubs them the wrong way, why don't they use an alternate name? The Communist Party did it all the time. What about, let's say, the Kopimi Party?
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 8:28pm

Re: Re: which is worse?
You can only vote if you vote within the constraints that I allow.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 8:34pm

I wonder what Techdirt news would look like on a timeline.

http://www.meograph.com/demo

Disclosure: No I have nothing to do with meograph or kittygraph or whatever that is, I just found out about it and am using it to illustrate what an animated timeline of events about copyright BS could look like, maybe make a graph of the end of free markets and the rise of granted monopolies that are creeping up everywhere like cancer cells metastasizing.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 8:35pm

The party shouldn't make a big deal of this, yeah it's stupid, but they should choose a different name and move on.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 8:38pm

Maybe a more appropriate name would be the terrorist party.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 8:39pm

Re:
and they should make it part of their platform to

A: Change their name

B: Allow parties more freedom to choose their own names.
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techinabox (profile), 26 Jun 2012 @ 8:44pm

Silly but...
While Southeast Asia is one of the few places in world where piracy is still in existence this is still silly.
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Chargone (profile), 26 Jun 2012 @ 8:54pm

Re:
i see no reason for it not to be both legitimate and hilarious at the same time.

those are the Best things.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 9:03pm

It's only a concern to be legitimate, if they are the party against you. Sounds like vested interests are sort of saying, we can't have that. They'd know what it meant.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 9:18pm

Piracy is a slippery slope. I mean, one minute you're illegally downloading the Party Rock Anthem. The next thing you know, you're on a boat full of cannons and stolen gold wearing fancy clothes, an eyepatch, and a parrot on your shoulder.
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Some Guy, 26 Jun 2012 @ 9:28pm

Bring back the vagina party!
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 9:30pm

Re: Re: Re: which is worse?
Seafaring pirates live infamously unrestrained, free lives. Maybe if the people were given the freedom they desire, they wouldn't sympathize with them.
It's like a nautical Streisand Effect. The Sparrow Effect?
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 9:45pm

I think we should be more concerned at the notion that people would rather vote for pirates of the sea-faring variety.
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Just John (profile), 26 Jun 2012 @ 9:49pm

Re: Re:
Being a resident here in Taiwan, I understand what they are facing.
You claim that they need to allow the parties more freedom to choose their own name, but do you even know what it is like for the Taiwanese?
They have learned to be very careful about what is allowed in public areas because of the relationship balance between not only the Island of Taiwan and their neighboring country China, but with the rest of the world who helps prevent Taiwan from being taken over by force by China.

If you claim that this is not a legitimate concern, there is even a law in Beijing that can be found here that pretty much states if Taiwan politically declares its independence, then China has the authority to go to war (Keep in mind, this is a China law).

Bearing these types of situations in mind, you might actually begin to understand why Taiwan is VERY careful of any political issues, including party names.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2012 @ 9:55pm

Re: Re: Re:
Thank you
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Just John (profile), 26 Jun 2012 @ 9:58pm

Re: Silly but...
You know what is odd?
Your name, tech in a box also seems like it could say "t[h]e China Box".

Ironic given the topic of the story.
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 26 Jun 2012 @ 10:55pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: which is worse?
Do what you want, �cause a pirate is free,
YOU ARE A PIRATE!
Yar har, fiddle di dee,
Being a pirate is alright to be,
Do what you want �cause a pirate is free,
You are a pirate!
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Josef Anvil (profile), 27 Jun 2012 @ 12:46am

Re:
They should go with CyberParty, so that older politicians can still misunderstand and castigate them in their mud slinging campaigns.
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Mik, 27 Jun 2012 @ 1:09am

RE:
Actually, I agree with this. I believe that the word 'pirate' should never have applied to people who illegally copy movies or music in the first place. Pirates tend to be violent criminals who will steal at the barrel of a gun, often with bloody results. How the heck could that possibly compare to folks who download stuff?

I agree with 'M' above, 'Internet Party' makes far more sense. Ultimately these types of parties are about internet freedom in general, not just "download a bunch of movies from TPB", so it's time the movements matured a bit.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2012 @ 1:21am

typical Asians. got to make sure they have the deciding say, even when it is complete bull shit. as long as the aims are the same, use a different name. if that gets denied, you know the problem is one of 'the old type guard not wanting a political party to represent the young or those in the digital age.
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Dirk Poot (profile), 27 Jun 2012 @ 1:24am

Unintended consequences
The strict interpretation of the term 'pirates' that Taiwan is enforcing should also have an effect on the press releases by �-lobbyists as well then.
Branding the citizens that participate in a culture of filesharing as 'pirates' might be grounds for a defamation lawsuit in Taiwan, it seems...
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Just John (profile), 27 Jun 2012 @ 2:07am

Re:
You state "Typical Asians" like this is some behavior they display frequently?
Please, go on and tell me how a Typical Asian would act.

I am waiting for your stereotypes to start coming out so I can refute each one. Given that some people in Taiwan tried starting this party, and others said it was not allowed, I don't see a uniform behavior that can be called
Typical.

Or are you saying that they feel they should have a say in how their government, made up of Asians, can govern their Asian country?

I will be waiting for your in-depth knowledge of how "Asians" are all single dimensional.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2012 @ 3:39am

If they were to name it the Sex Party I would join.
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Your Semantics Teacher, 27 Jun 2012 @ 5:03am

Pay Attention To
Taip Irate Party OR Type Irate Party. This, they cannot deny connotates the emotion and agitation of feeling irate. It has nothing to do with seafaring pirates. >:-D
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2012 @ 5:11am

Aw, but I wanted to elect a bunch of evil sea faring pirates to run my government!

Anyone could do a better job then the current guys, especially a group of outsider sea faring pirates.
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DogBreath, 27 Jun 2012 @ 7:13am

Re:
Don't forget you'll need to move to Somalia. I hear "Fatbeard" is doing pretty well.
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sean, 27 Jun 2012 @ 7:20am

"Copyright Party" because it doesn't have the negative connotation and it grabs the moral high ground.
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DogBreath, 27 Jun 2012 @ 7:20am

Re:
Not that hard to believe, they already vote pirates on land into office.

Show me a politician who hasn't taken your money, and I'll show you a real Nigerian prince, who also happens to be a leprechaun doing a moonwalk while riding a unicorn on the surface of the sun.
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A Dan (profile), 27 Jun 2012 @ 8:05am

Re:
For someone who understands the meanings of the terms but isn't familiar with the US parties, "Democrat" and "Republican" parties could also be confusing. But names are often just names, and people tend to figure these things out.
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Mason Wheeler, 27 Jun 2012 @ 10:28am

Re:
Agreed. I don't think "Pirate" is a word that needs to be "taken back" in the first place, because it was never taken from legitimate file-sharers in the first place; it was forced upon them.

A pirate is exactly what the Taiwanese are claiming here: a nautical terrorist, of the kind frequently found these days off the shores of Somalia. The term "piracy" as applied to intellectual property is a rhetorical device used to make file-sharing seem a lot worse than it actually is. The name "Pirate Party" is highly unfortunate, IMO, as it legitimizes the smear instead of trying to fix it.
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Hephaestus (profile), 27 Jun 2012 @ 11:02am

Re:
It makes one wonder, will politicians in Taiwan stop referring to online copyright infringement as piracy.
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Jesse (profile), 27 Jun 2012 @ 11:26am

Re:
If it's a legitimate concern then they should probably be arresting any copyright maximalist using the standard propaganda.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2012 @ 1:20pm

Me thinks they dost protest too much
They must be really afraid that people will discover that Taiwan really is full of pirates if they come out and admit it.
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LaraBonner (profile), 27 Jun 2012 @ 10:36pm

Protest
as Fred responded I didnt even know that anyone can earn $7015 in a few weeks on the internet. did you see this website N u t t y R i c h.cOm
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