Swiss file share ‘grace period’
p2p news / p2pnet: If you’re in Switzerland, did you know the Big Four record label cartels IFPI had a "grace period" for p2p file sharers?
No?
Well, it did but now it’s been terminated, says Heise Online, going on:
"According to media reports, the Swiss International Federation of Producers of Phonograms and Videograms (IFPI) is now filing suit to stop the illegal propagation of music files. The industry is thus making good on its promise of March 2004, which was repeated in November of 2005 in the "Game over" campaign, to take legal action."
Apparently, the Big Four, Vivendi Universal, EMI, Sony BMG and Warner Music, "wanted to use its ‘Game Over’ campaign as a way to offer all private ‘pirates’ a way to settle the matter out of court. The people affected would have had to agree to delete all illegal music files and pay costs and damages ranging from 3000-9000 Swiss francs (5800 euros).
"But this approach proved pointless when Internet providers refused to pass on the cease-and-desist demands to users of peer-to-peer networks. IFPI therefore filed suit against users of peer-to-peer networks with the state prosecutor’s office in the Swiss Canton of Zurich. According to reports, the providers are only obligated to provide the authorities with such information by court order."
Heise says rhe IFPI, which recently released its latest disinformation report, has been spamming IM and the p2p nets with "final warnings" since the beginning of November last year.
"Just before Christmas, the providers received mail from IFPI Switzerland calling on them to hand over the personal data of any suspicious users of peer-to-peer networks and to send cease-and-desist requests to file sharers who were breaking the law," adds the story.
Also See:
Heise Online – IFPI Switzerland files suit against users of peer-to-peer networks?, January 19, 2006
disinformation report – Record labels threaten ISPs, January 20, 2006
