While the U.S. is debating implanting the ‘Stop Online Piracy Act’ also known as SOPA, Spain has enacted some of the strongest anti-piracy laws around that will go in effect in March and in spite of much protest from open web activists. 

The new law known as ‘Sinde’ will result in any web site thought to be using pirated material to be shut down within days of posting that material.

The Spanish government has created a oversight committee where piracy complaints will be reviewed and passed along to the judiciary if it is merited.  The judge can order the site with the alleged pirated content to be shut down.

Start to finish the process could take as little as ten days.  If a site decides not to shut down they will be fined and face other consequences.

Pirated material applies to cultural content not illegal downloads and includes movies, music, written material amongst other media forms.  Free internet activists promise to fight the law and punish artists who have supported the anti-piracy law.

It is estimated that Spain lost close to $9 billion in the first half of 2010.