British ISPs in new deal to tackle music piracy
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Six ISPs have agreed to the voluntary measure. (ABC: file photo)
The music industry and internet service providers (ISPs) in Britain have reached a deal to tackle online piracy, which has caused a massive fall in CD sales.
The UK music industry believes it is time ISPs help fight piracy by disconnecting customers who ignore warnings to stop uploadiing or downloading songs, in what is known as file-sharing.
But so far the ISPs have refused to play ball.
Now, in a deal negotiated by the British Government, hundreds of thousands of letters will be sent to broadband customers identified by the BPI (formerly known as the British Phonographic Industry) as illegal file sharers.
Six ISPs have agreed to the voluntary measure in order to avoid statutory regulation or levies, the Financial Times reported.
Many British parents are unaware of - or turn a blind eye to - their children's illegal downloading of music or television programs from file-sharing sites across the internet.
Around 6.5 million Britons are thought to have downloaded music illegally last year, with the music industry estimated to face losses of 1 billion pounds in revenue over the next five years.
The letters will be sent over three months in a trial period by Britain's six largest ISPs - BT, Virgin Media, Orange, Tiscali, BSkyB and Carphone Warehouse.
If the voluntary measure fails to reduce illegal downloading, the Government will consider raising a levy of up to 30 pounds on each internet connection to compensate music and film companies, the Independent reported.
Possible sanctions for persistent offenders could include a "three-times-and-you're-out" threat to switch off their internet connection for a year.
But the ISPs are making it clear that they have no intention of cutting anyone off, so the agreement could have a limited impact.
- AFP/BBC
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