Internet traffic in Sweden - previously a hotbed of illicit filesharing - has fallen dramatically in the first day of a new law banning online piracy.

The country - home to the notorious Pirate Bay website, whose founders are awaiting a court judgment on whether they have broken the law by allowing people to find films, games and music for illicit downloads - has previously been seen as a haven for filesharing, in which people can get copyrighted content for free.

As many as one in 10 Swedes is thought to use such peer-to-peer services.