Internet users could be banned over illegal downloads
People who illegally download films and music will be cut off from the internet under new legislative proposals to be unveiled next week.
As of April 2009, UK Internet service providers (ISPs) will be legally required to take action against users who access pirated material.
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People who illegally download films and music will be cut off from the internet under new legislative proposals to be unveiled next week.
Internet service providers (ISPs) will be legally required to take action against users who access pirated material, The Times has learnt.
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.
Six million broadband users are estimated to download files illegally every year in this country in a practice that music and film companies claim is costing them billions of pounds in lost revenue annually.
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.
Parallel negotiations between Britain’s music industry and individual internet providers have been dragging on for two years.
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.
International action in the US and France, which is implementing its own “three-strikes” regime, has increased the pressure on British internet companies and stiffened the Government’s resolve.
Ministers will make an explicit commitment to legislate with the launch next week of a Green Paper on the creative industries. 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.
A spokesman for the Internet Service Providers Association said it remained hopeful that agreement over a voluntary agreement could be reached: “Every right-thinking body knows that self-regulation is much the better option in these areas.”
More info: <a href='http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article3353387.ece' target='_blank'>timesonline.co.uk <a href='http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7258437.stm' target='_blank'>BBC News
ghost
ynori7 16 years ago
so is this supposed to be in place of the thousands of dollars you have to pay in fines if you get caught?
ghost 16 years ago
encryption/obfuscation + multiple proxies + ISPs who don't really care == CS3_4_Free ^_^
I'm in USA, so it doesn't affect me… but that's f'ing insane… Curse you overpricing capitalistic whores!
ghost 16 years ago
I'm in the US as well, but check out this paragraph:
International action in the US and France, which is implementing its own “three-strikes” regime, has increased the pressure on British internet companies and stiffened the Government’s resolve.
Mr_Cheese 16 years ago
how on earth are they going to police this? sniff every single packet sent over their network and calcuate if its a fragment of a mp3, and then magically work out if its a copyrighted mp3? .. pfft.. wounder if they've heard of SSL. <_<
ghost 16 years ago
hence another use of your neighbor's wireless;) But in the US the DoD watches certain sites and torrents, then they track the users. I imagine they wait for proxy users to slip up too. If they can actually use Echelon, they can use this crap too.
Mr_Cheese 16 years ago
Im not sure if DVD/CD sales will increase or decrease. the amount of CD's and DVD's i've actually brought as a result of downloading the item first and thinking "wow this is cool, im buying that!".. im sure alot of people do the same thing….
ghost 16 years ago
What is this world coming to, I dont know about other people but i was taught to "share" when i was younger.
SySTeM 16 years ago
I tend to download sommet, and if it's good I'll go out and buy it, and save the space on my HDD lol
Uber0n 16 years ago
I only buy CDs when I've seen the artists live and if I find their performance good enough ^^
ghost 16 years ago
I too live in the U.S. I recently called Comcast, my ISP and the dude said he couldn't give a shit less what i download as long as it doesn't interfere with their service. LOL, i even recorded the conversation on another line. I guess this is just a scaretactic..fuckem, i'll do it anyways!!!
nanoymaster 16 years ago
DAMN this would suck soo hard if it comes into practice. I'm downloading like 24/7… if it happens I'd have to do something back!! like make an angry phone call or two!!!!! >.<
Durty1425 16 years ago
It's possibly just a scare tactic for the less technologically-inclined people. =\
TheSilentDrifter 16 years ago
Since when is it ok for the government to tell the ISP what to do? Last i checked we did have some rights to having a secret or to, but i guess that's the real world for ya… /sigh. some people… :@
ghost 16 years ago
well would using lime wire or something like that be considered illegal downloading