Putin v piracy

It's championed by some as a new weapon to defend content-makers, decried by others as a blunt tool that could extend censorship of the net. One thing's for sure - Russia's new anti-piracy law is proving controversial. "Access to online content should be free and global, because it is people's right to freely receive and distribute information, as well as it is their right to consume art," says Natalia Malysheva, of the Russian Pirate Party. On Sunday, the party held a protest in central Moscow against the law, now active, which allows sites to be blocked if they do not tackle complaints that they are aiding copyright infringement within three days of being notified. About 300 people, waving black pirate flags, attended the peaceful event. "We respect the rights of those who produce films, music and books, but the rights of copyright holders should be secondary after the rights of society," said Ms Malysheva.Online piracy is rampant in Russia. In local internet cafes and at home, teenagers log onto VKontakte, Russia's equivalent of Facebook, to copy and share music and videos despite the company's protestation that it removes files if it receives "legitimate complaints from copyright holders". As he comes home after a long day in the office, 41-year old Pavel tells the BBC that his favourite way to relax in the evening is to watch an action movie on his computer - and any film, he says, is just a click away.