Creative industry renews calls to "disconnect file sharers"

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 12 May 2009 at 13:48

An alliance of creative bodies and trade unions is renewing calls for the UK to adopt a three strikes system to stem illegal file sharing.

The alliance, which includes the Federation Against Copyright Theft, the Publishers' Association, BPI and UK Film Council, is calling for ISPs to disconnect illegal file-sharers after two warning letters.

The groups are arguing that over 50% of web traffic in the UK can be attributed to people illegally downloading content. The groups believe this could place around 800,000 jobs in the film, television, music and software industries in peril.

Similar calls were made back in February 2008 and vehemently rebuffed by Internet Service Providers worried about footing the cost of becoming "internet policemen".

A compromise was ultimately reached that saw ISPs despatching letters to offending parties, though they refused to disconnect persistent file sharers.

Now, on the eve of Lord Carter's Digital Britain report, it seems the industry wants ISPs to take a harder line. A joint statement to be presented at The Future of the Creative Economy conference will call for "the UK Government to offer full and proper protection for the music and other content-producing industries in the UK," according to a statement seen by The Guardian.

The statement goes on to request that after "multiple educational warnings" are ignored illegal filesharers are subjected to "a graduated series of technical solutions" to "prevent further illegal activity".

ISPs respond

The stance has already brought a withering response from the Internet Services Providers' Association which blasts the industry for failing to understand the issues.

"ISPA continues to dispute calls from some elements of the creative industries for the disconnection of users or technological measures as a method of dealing with potential infringers of copyright online," says the statement.

"ISPA members have consistently explained that significant technological advances would be required if these measures are to reach a standard where they would be admissible as evidence in court. ISPs and consumer groups consider disconnection of users to be a disproportionate response, a view that was recently supported by the European Parliament.

"ISPA is disappointed that the creative industries continue to advocate legislation on enforcement without considering how the complicated licensing processes that many stakeholders believe are at the root of the problem can be reformed."