People in the UK who go online and illegally download music and films may have their internet access cut under plans the government is considering. A draft consultation Green Paper suggests internet service providers would be required to take action over users who access pirated material. Under a "three strikes" rule they would receive an e-mail warning, suspension, and then termination of their contract.
Six million people a year are estimated to download files illegally in the UK. Music and film companies say that the illegal downloads cost them millions of pounds in lost revenues.
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If the law were enacted it would turn ISPs, like BT, Tiscali and Virgin, into a pro-active
net police force
Darren Waters, technology editor BBC News website
The proposals are part of a Green Paper - a consultation document issued by the government - on the creative industries that is due to be published shortly. The government proposals were first reported by the Times newspaper.
Voluntary schemeThe Times suggested that broadband firms which failed to enforce the rules could be prosecuted, and the details of customers suspected of making illegal downloads made available to the courts. According to the Times, the draft paper states: "We will move to legislate to require internet service providers to take action on illegal file sharing."
Internet providers are no more able to inspect and filter every single packet passing across their network than the Post Office is able to open every envelope, Internet Service Providers Association
Some of the UK's biggest internet providers, such as BT, Virgin and Tiscali have been in talks with the entertainment industry over introducing a voluntary scheme for policing pirate activity, but no agreement has been reached. So far, they have failed to resolve how disputed allegations would be arbitrated - for example, when customers claim other people have been "piggybacking" on their internet service.
"No liability"The Internet Service Providers Association said data protection laws would prevent providers from looking at the content of information sent over their networks.
HAVE YOUR SAYIsn't it strange that when corporations start loosing money the Government acts quickly to stamp it out
Jon Perez, Reading
"ISPs are no more able to inspect and filter every single packet passing across their
network than the Post Office is able to open every envelope," the association said.
"ISPs bear no liability for illegal file sharing as the content is not hosted on
their servers," it added.
Created on ... February 14, 2008