Britain to turn ISPs into corporate copyright cops
p2pnet news | Freedom:- In what would amount to an unbelievable, officially sanctioned, violation of human rights, the UK government seems set to cave in to corporate entertainment cartel demands to impose strict control on the Net, using ISPs as the foil.
“People who illegally download films and music will be cut off from the internet under new legislative proposals to be unveiled next week,” says Times Online.
ISPs will be, “legally required to take action against users who access pirated material,” says the story, going on:
Users suspected of wrongly downloading films or music will receive a warning e-mail for the first offence, a suspension for the second infringement and the termination of their internet contract if caught a third time, under the most likely option to emerge from discussions about the new law.
Broadband companies who fail to enforce the ‘three-strikes’ regime would be prosecuted and suspected customers’ details could be made available to the courts. The Government has yet to decide if information on offenders should be shared between ISPs.
By an amazing coincidence, French president president Nicolas Sarkozy, too, has called for a ‘three strikes’ rule for anyone “found guilty of internet piracy”.
Are the two governments colluding or are they getting their ideas from outside corporate concerns?
The French ‘three strikes and you’re out’ idea came from Denis Olivennes, chairman of Fnac, probably France’s largest distributor of DVDs and CDs.
Times Online doesn’t specify who or what inspired the British government decision but, “Britain`s four biggest internet providers – BT, Tiscali, Orange and Virgin Media – have been in talks with Hollywood’s biggest studio and distribution companies for six months over a voluntary scheme,” says the story, going on:
“Major sticking points include who will arbitrate disputed allegations, for example when customers claim to have been the victim of wi-fi piggybacking, in which users link up to a paid-for wireless network that is not their own. Another outstanding disagreement is how many enforcements the internet companies will be expected to initiate and how quickly warning e-mails would be sent.”
The British government, “will make an explicit commitment to legislate with the launch next week of a Green Paper on the creative industries,” says the story.
“A draft copy, obtained by The Times, states: ‘We will move to legislate to require internet service providers to take action on illegal file-sharing.’ A consultation paper setting out the options is promised within months.”
The commitment, “forms part of a Green Paper on the creative industries entitled The World’s Creative Hub to be launched by Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary, and Gordon Brown next week,” the story states.
Posts Hanna from Sheffield:
“George Orwell was right after all. It’s only a matter of time before the government starts bribing our children to inform on us.”
Will the British public take this lying down, or will they take the Canadian approach, using the Net to let politicians know the people who elected them call the shots, and not the other way around?
Definitely stay tuned.
Also See:
Times Online – Internet users could be banned over illegal downloads, February 12, 2008
amazing coincidence – Entertainment cartels vs consumers, December 31, 2007
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February 12th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
This will cost british ISP’s dearly because without being able to use filesharing software i wont need my present expensive unlimited broadband package and will downgrade to an inexspensive alternative mabe even go back to 56k internet connection as will all 8,000,000 fileshare users in UK. GOODBYE BT I NO LONGER NEED YOU…
February 12th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
“Users suspected of wrongly downloading films or music will receive a warning e-mail for the first offence, a suspension for the second infringement and the termination of their internet contract if caught a third time, under the most likely option to emerge from discussions about the new law.”
User’s suspected of? That’s the most retarded thing I’ve heard… what if someone legitimately uses BT for transferring things… is their internet gonna be cut off too?
I think ISP’s should have to show proof that they caught you pirating… remind me never to use the internet in Britian, unless
a) this law is revoked, or
b) this law is amended to require proof, and everyone encrypts torrent traffic, and my harddrive is also encrypted… then you can’t prove shit.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
CD’s and DVD’s are on the way out. I would be willing to pay a couple of pounds for a movie download but no more. The movie/music industry have to adapt to the way thing are. They can’t keep paying themselves Mega-wages. I too would go back to using a cheap connection if this comes about.
February 12th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
It is a green paper.
It is very unlikely to pass anywhere except through a lords colon.
And finally, the anus.
Where it meets with the white paper.
And finally, flushed by Brown
February 12th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Virgin Media already had a hard time keeping its customers after the purchase of a few major isp’s like telewest/ntl because they introduced traffic shaping on they’re unlimited offers that users didn’t have before. Also the implementation of the traffic shaping was totally retarded.
” All these last for 4 hours after witch they apply again the shaping occurs between 4PM-00 Midnight if u get shaped at 11:59 tough luck ur out for the next 4 hours the shaping doesn’t reset at midnight.
Broadband: M 2Mbps
Anyone caught downloading more than 350 MB will have their connection slowed to 1 Mbps download and 128K upload.
Broadband L 4Mbps
Anyone caught downloading more than 750 MB will have their connection slowed to 2 Mbps and 192K upload.
Broadband XL 10Mbps-20Mbps
This tier is getting hit hardest, with the download speed quartered (to 5 Mbps) and the upload slowed to 256K, when the user downloads 3 gig or more in the peak hours.”
Broadband M 22 Minutes of full speed download to get u traffic shaped.
Broadband L 24 Minutes of full speed download to get u traffic shaped.
Broadband XL 10Mbit 39 Minutes of full speed download to get u traffic shaped.
Broadband XL 20Mbit 19 Minutes of full speed download to get your speed QUARTERED (Just because your service is more expensive u receive the extra of not having your speed halved but quartered)”
So welcome to Virgin Media buy your BROADBAND UNLIMITED LIMITED. Where u get to download with what u payed for for 19 to 39 minutes.
For the masochists we recommend broadband XL where u get only 1/4 of what u payed for.
Virgin Media if when u are just doing too well come to us.We promise to screw you over like you’ve never been screwed before.
Also John i think this could do good as an article. Since most of the companies miss advertise they’re products.
February 12th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
x3style is that shit true? why not go back to selling K56 modems >.
February 12th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
aww got cut of by my not smiling smiley
anyways rest:
doing that would be illigal here, ISPs are not allowed to throttle because of false adverticing case, or somehting like it unless they updated their licences and gave people time to switch supplier.
Cant imagine any small/medium buisseness using Virgin Media.. or heavy users of streaming video and filesharing with friends (that is LEGAL).
February 12th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Yeah its true its allover the place i pay for a 10Mb connection so i can have a 5mb one, sadly theres no other choices all other providers have a even crappier fair use policy it means if u get a 4 MB connection and actually used it for a change u get penalized because u are limiting other users WTF?!?!
Just reinformed myself seems they’re cutting for upload too.
They traffic shaped everyone so they can bring out the 20MB service. Overselling FTL!!
http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/internet/traffic.html
February 12th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Btw the link above is a direct link to the providers explanation page with updated statistics and rules witch they can change whenever they want. Seems mine are outdated the’ve lowered the peak interval and raised the cap time and now shape for upload too.
February 12th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Go to Hull if you want (no)choice. If they bring this shit in, then the isp can shove their connection up their arse. I will go back to nude badger watching ha-ha.
February 13th, 2008 at 3:56 am
“b) this law is amended to require proof, and everyone encrypts torrent traffic, and my harddrive is also encrypted⦠then you canât prove shit.”
The UK has a law requiring you to give encryption keys or face jail (there is no “Im not telling you” or “I forgot” option to it) , they`ll probably think you have under age pwn on your HD as well btw .
February 13th, 2008 at 5:50 am
Yes, it’s about time that something was done to enforce the rights of users. This can only be a good thing in the long run.
Of course, some completely innocent people will occasionally get banned, but they are only a few, don’t have much power to do anything about it and can be considered collateral damage in the wider war.
In the end, all of us will benefit, people.