p2pnet - rss feed: ISPs leery of UK plan to ban P2P users
p2pnet news | P2P:- “With six million Brits estimated to be busy downloading illegal files every year, this looks set to be a controversial measure, with ISPs also a little less than chuffed to find themselves doing the record industry’s bidding and being turned into a ‘pro-active net police force’.”
That’s how Digital Lifestyles sums up the move by the UK government to act as official corporate copyright cops for the entertainment cartels.
It’s suggested, “that broadband firms which failed to snitch illegal downloaders could be prosecuted, with the details of illegal downloaders made available to the courts,” says the story.
“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,” p2pnet said yesterday.
“People who illegally download films and music will be cut off from the internet under new legislative proposals to be unveiled next week,” we quoted Times Online as saying.
ISPs would be, “legally required to take action against users who access pirated material,” said 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.”
But French president president Nicolas Sarkozy was the first to sign his government up for, and on behalf of, the entertainment cartels, originally mooting the ‘three strikes’ rule for anyone “found guilty of internet piracy””.
Meanwhile, “ISPs are calling on the record industry to put its money where its mouth is on illegal file-sharing, by underwriting the cost of lawsuits brought by people who are wrongly accused of downloading or uploading music,” says The Register.
UK trade organisation the ISPA (Internet Services Providers’ Association ) told The Register it’s worried about the cost to members if users targeted by rights holders for copyright infringement turn out to be innocent.
“We still need to establish the proof points,” a spokesman said.
However, finding proof is something neither Warner Music, EMI, Vivendi Universal and Sony BMG nor any of their enforcement agencies, such as the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and BPI (British Phonographic Industry), have ever been overly concerned about.
The don’t need it.
Firing off thousands of subpoenas at alleged copywriting infringers, including very young children, has been enough to generate non-stop mainstream media coverage incorrectly implying scores of people have been successfully prosecuted for the non-existent crime of file sharing.
Adds The Register:
“The BPI said: “The music business wants to partner with internet service providers to create new services that would deliver even greater value for music lovers, artists, labels and ISPs.” A hint perhaps at blanket licensing of file-sharing at ISP level - the other end of the internet music equation, which the record business must resolve to survive.
Certainly, British Internet Service Providers shouldn’t look to the cartels for financial help. The labels and movie studios routinely use resources funded by taxpayers for their purely commercial corporate copyright enforcement operations
However, there is one official UK police unit ISPs just might be able to draw upon, should the occasion arise.
“Wholly owned cartel ‘trade’ units such as the BPI have had to content themselves with merely ‘assisting’ in the ‘busts’ they’ve initiated,” p2pnet posted two years ago this month.
But that changed with the creation of an official Metropolitan Police squad, “dedicated to combating movie piracy and those responsible for the manufacture and distribution of pirated films has launched in London,” as the BBC put it.
The new unit would, “pursue individuals and groups profiting from the sale of fake DVDs” —- with the British public paying for it.
Also See:
Digital Lifestyles - Green Paper: Ban UK Illegal Downloaders, February 12, 2008
p2pnet - Britain to turn ISPs into corporate copyright cops, February 12, 2008
Times Online - Internet users could be banned over illegal downloads, February 12, 2008
The Register - ISPs demand record biz pays up if cut-off P2P users sue, February 12, 2008
p2pnet - UK’s new anti-pirate police, February 23, 2006
BBC - Police unit targets film piracy, February 23, 2006
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February 13th, 2008 at 8:55 am
It’s funny that the cartel’s can demand action against ISP’s and the government is quick to help, yet the government isn’t acting in the same manner with all the child pornography that’s available by the truckload on the net.
February 13th, 2008 at 11:28 am
It’s also odd that the government is helping the cartels when it’s the tax payer that pays them to look after us!
February 13th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Nothing odd about it. The pols depend on us get them in and once they are in, they become servile corporate drones.
February 13th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
The politicians and cartels look after each other, so we have to look after ourselves. Has there been any progress in the U.K. and France in building Freewans? If not, there should be. A Freewan can be built inexpensively (using wireless routers) , and for less than a $100, it can serve a city block if well designed. On a Freewan, people can feel free to offer and share the content they like without fear of snooping by ISP’s, Governments, Courts, cartels, etc. If there is a meddler of the type that likes to call the cops on their neighbours for any reason, the wireless traffic can be easily encrypted with the keys shared by those who want to be a part.
Content can be shared between Freewans via an encrypted Internet connection, sneaker net (the physical carrying of data media), snail mail (physical media, again) as well as many other ways. It is time for people to make their connections so that the sharing can continue once widespread repression sets in.
Look at this site to get an idea about FreeWan http://www.plaza1.net/FreeWan/
February 13th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
This is sounding more and more like many of the scifi movies and games I have seen, in that governments are selling themselves piecemeal to large mega corperations. (Most of the Alien/Aliens series for example).
February 14th, 2008 at 5:51 am
I would strongly recommend that if (or when) customers start recieving letters from their ISP’s, that they ‘band together’ by setting up a petition on http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/new
This will show the government in no uncertain terms that the voters are unhappy with their actions!
Even people not yet affected can sign and promote the petition against these actions. The petition can be promoted via blogs, social networking clubs, e-mails, sites like this, etc.
Let them know that if they do not respect our human rights, privacy laws, etc that we will vote for the ‘other side’ (and encourage those who would not usually bother voting to do the same)!
As experience shows…the ‘other side’ are just as bad, but if Labour want to hang on to power…
Just a thought!
February 16th, 2008 at 2:39 am
This could prove disasterous for certain isps ie: BT and Virgin, who, should this imposition be implemented and the customer is banned from the net, then their whole media package might be placed in jeapordy, as many who see their net conection being of the highest priority will simply cancel the rest of the package….
Ihey either fight this tooth or nail or take the risk of a massive financial dive.
May 11th, 2008 at 6:53 am
The music industry cartel plays their songs for free on our TVs and radios, in our cars, and in the shops on a 24 hour basis until you can’t get it out of your head and then they sue for millions those who choose not to buy them. They are crooks. An mp3 is worth nothing, it can be reproduced at zero cost at no loss to the record industry cartel and if I was TorrentSpy I would not pay the money grubbing zionist criminals the shit off my shoe.
May 31st, 2008 at 2:21 am
it’s interesting that not one person seems to actually appreciate what copyright infringement is doing to the music industry