The Pirate Bay was founded on September 19, 2003, by a group of Swedish activists, including Fredrik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm, and Peter Sundeo. The website was initially created as a platform for sharing files and promoting the ideals of the Swedish Pirate Party, which advocates for the abolition of copyright and patent laws. The website quickly gained popularity, and its user base grew exponentially as it became a go-to destination for pirated movies, music, software, and games.