I don't know if they're blocking it at the DNS level, or if there is some way of blocking the actual site. But that's the IP address. Why couldn't someone use any generic proxy to visit Pirate Bay?
I just don't see how governments can actually block websites, without confiscating their servers and/or forcing ISPs to monitor and block any attempt to get back online. As long as they've got a server and internet access, it seems to me like the government has failed.
The dutch pirate party had a specific proxy running which they were ordered to shut down so they're now running a generic proxy.
If you're dutch and haven't donated to the "Piratenpartij" yet, please do so now if you think these issues are important: http://depiratenpartij.wordpress.com/lidworden/doneren/
I'm saddened that wrt to the internet and censorship my supposedly progressive[1] country can now be added to the list of China, Iran and many other oppressive regimes.
[1] it hasn't actually been that for quite a while now
Welcome to joining UK and Australia as censorship countries.
I'm fighting in Australia.
Even worse is that they're doing it behind closed doors so we can't do or say little against it. I'll just say it... America, Australia & UK have fallen completely to corporatism. We are no longer a democracy and haven't been for decades. It's only recently started to show it's glaring infections/swelling.
Some pirate bay censoring schemes do block it at the IP level (e.g. the scheme used by Eircom the largest ISP in Ireland). Just using the IP address doesn't work. Even pings are blocked.
I just don't see how governments can actually block websites
Courts can force companies (ISPs) to do something, and the details are up to to the companies. Since the Pirate Bay is hosted externally, all the ISPs have to do is block their IP addresses.
Some ways to get around their silly blocks are:
Proxy servers (tons of these...too many to list)
VPN providers (https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-providers-really-take-ano...)
Unix shell accounts with port forwarding (you need one simple command to set up port forwarding: ssh -L 8080:thepiratebay.org:80 your_shell_server.com)
Seed boxes for downloading, sftp to grab the loot from them.
But you and me both know their actions are not to decrease piracy. However, its a perfect public reason, because the only way to gain control of the internet is to destroy the ability for people to be anonymous online. All humans using the web need to be monitored, just like in society. That is the intention behind all this.
But of course we cant really talk about that...
Seizing domain names only serve to create digital economic uncertainty, false sense of justice, let criminals still access content, etc. It is downright criminal for judges ordering ISPs to block access because it shows that judges are either aware that crime will still continue or too incompetent to see this.
You need to take action!