[A2k] BBC: Net firms in music pirate deal

[Vera Franz]

=0D
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7522334.stm=0D
=0D
Net firms in music pirates deal=0D
=0D
Six of the UK's biggest net providers have agreed a plan with the music ind=
ustry to tackle piracy online.=0D
=0D
The deal, negotiated by the government, will see hundreds of thousands of l=
etters sent to net users suspected of illegally sharing music.=0D
=0D
But the music industry wants people's internet access cut off if they ignor=
e repeated warnings, something the web firms say they are not prepared to d=
o.=0D
=0D
BT, Virgin, Orange, Tiscali, BSkyB and Carphone Warehouse have all signed u=
p.=0D
=0D
Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the BPI, which represents the music indust=
ry, said: "All of the major ISPs in the UK now recognise they have a respon=
sibility to deal with illegal file-sharers on their networks."=0D
=0D
Mr Taylor said it had taken years to persuade ISPs to adopt this view.=0D
=0D
The plan commits the firms to working towards a "significant reduction" in =
the illegal sharing of music.=0D
=0D
It also commits the net firms to develop legal music services. "Conversatio=
ns are ongoing between record labels and ISPs," said Mr Taylor.=0D
=0D
Letters to pirates=0D
=0D
The BPI has focused on educational efforts and limited legal action in rece=
nt years, in contrast to the US, which has embarked on tens of thousands of=
 lawsuits against alleged file sharers.=0D
=0D
The six internet service providers have signed a Memorandum of Understandin=
g drawn up by the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (=
BERR).=0D
=0D
HAVE YOUR SAY Why should I yet again pay for, say, the Beatles' White Album=
 at full whack? I already bought it on LP, eight-track, cassette, and CD! T=
his is those customers getting their own back Mark, Hampshire=0D
=0D
The Motion Picture Association of America has also signed up.=0D
=0D
The BPI said the memoranum covered consumers who were both uploading and do=
wnloading music.=0D
=0D
Mr Taylor said: "The focus is on people sharing files illegally; there is n=
ot an acceptable level of file-sharing. Musicians need to be paid like ever=
yone else."=0D
=0D
He added: "File-sharing is not anonymous, it is not secret, it is against t=
he law."=0D
=0D
At the same time the government has started a consultation exercise that co=
uld result in laws that force net firms to tackle music piracy. A working g=
roup will be set up under the auspices of regulator Ofcom to look at effect=
ive measures to tackle persistant file-sharers.=0D
=0D
Mr Taylor said newspaper reports stating that online users could be subject=
 to an annual levy to cover losses from file-sharing were incorrect.=0D
=0D
"A levy is not an issue under discussion. It has not been discussed between=
 us and government and as far as we are aware it is not on the table."=0D
=0D
He said: "There should be effective mechanisms in place (to deter file-shar=
ing) and as long as they are effective, we don't mind what they are."=0D
=0D
But he said the BPI was ruling nothing out and nothing in.=0D
=0D
In the past few weeks net firms Virgin and BT have sent letters to some cus=
tomers identified by the BPI, which represents the UK record industry, as p=
ersistent music pirates.=0D
=0D
'Long process'=0D
=0D
Before now the BPI has called for a "three-strikes" system which would see =
net connections of persistent pirates terminated if three warnings went ign=
ored.=0D
=0D
Many net firms have resisted the call from the BPI and have said it is not =
their job to act as policemen.=0D
=0D
Feargal Sharkey, chief executive of British Music Rights, said the plan was=
 "a first step, and a very big step, in what we all acknowledge is going to=
 be quite a long process".=0D
=0D
Mr Sharkey, formerly lead singer with The Undertones added: "Government, pa=
rticularly in the UK, has now realised there is an issue, there is a proble=
m there."=0D
=0D
One BBC News website user Mark, from Hampshire, said he downloaded and shar=
ed files illegally and argued customers were "getting their own back".=0D
=0D
In an e-mail, he said: "I used to run half a dozen record shops in the 80s =
and saw how far the fat cats of the record industry would go, in milking cu=
stomers and retailers dry with more hyped rubbish."=0D
=0D
"Why should I yet again pay for, say, the Beatles' White Album at full whac=
k? I already bought it on LP, eight-track, cassette, and CD! This is those =
customers getting their own back."=0D
=0D
"So will this make me sharing a CD with my next-door neighbour over the fen=
ce illegal?" he added.=0D
=0D
Story from BBC NEWS:=0D
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/7522334.stm=0D
=0D
Published: 2008/07/24 09:00:24 GMT=0D
=0D
=A9 BBC MMVIII=0D
=0D
--=0D
Vera Franz=0D
Program Manager=0D
Information Program=0D
<www.soros.org/ip>=0D
Open Society Foundation=0D
100, Cambridge Grove=0D
London W6 0LE=0D
phone +44 20 7031 0219=0D
fax +44 20 7031 0247=0D
=0D
=0D
=0D
=0D
This message might contain confidential information and is protected by cop=
yright.=0D
If you receive it in error, please notify us, delete it and do not make use=
 of or copy it.=0D