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May 12, 2009

Illegal downloaders should be banned from the net

UK film council recommendations to government

Carrie-Ann Skinner

The UK Film Council, along with a number of other industry bodies and trade unions, is urging the government to ban illegal downloaders from the net.

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) are among the nine creative bodies and five trade unions that signed a joint statement, detailing recommendations they feel should be included in the Digital Britain Report.

The report, which is due to be published on June 16, will feature strategies covering all aspects of the technology and its future in Britain. As well as tackling internet piracy, the report will also deal with implementation of a nationwide roll out of 2Mbps broadband access, next-generation fibre networks and even the future of television.

"The growing threat of illegal P2P (peer to peer) file-sharing threatens [the creative industries], as films go unmade, DVD sales deteriorate and jobs are lost in production and distribution of content," said John Woodward, head of the UK Film Council.

However the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has dismissed the move.

"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," the group said.

"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."

The Digital Britain Report Steering Board is currently working with Virgin Media, Channel4 and BSkyB on drafting a strategy for the report that will successfully tackle illegal file sharers.

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See also: Gov't plans to kill illegal downloads

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Comments received


PeTe said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

They have not got a chance of stopping p2p.

malcolmf said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

The industry looks at the number of downloads and thinks that is the number of sales lost. Most are not. In the vast majority of cases, the item would have been ignored if not aired as a download.
If money is involved, and is, as the industry alleges, going to fund drug barons, this looks like a case of cutting out the middle man, in this case, the entertainment industry.

Live on said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

Share and share alike... it wont die so easily.

VJP said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

Because money is involved and multi-millionares think they are loosing out they want to attack the man on the web. They should be going after the real criminals and mostly the pedo's.............

redstringuitar said on Friday, 15 May 2009

Will ISP's really be prepared to lose existing and alienate potential customers just to keep feeding the fat, greedy entertainment "industry"??

Kevin said on Friday, 15 May 2009

Seems like the Film Council wants to ban 80% of internet users instead of getting of their high horses and start providing quality products at reasonable prices over the net.
No amount of threats from them or any other so called protectors of the copyright holders will stop downloading be it legal or not.
They had their chance to come on board now they will pay dearly for their stubborness.
I do not have a movie theartre within 150 km from my home and the local video shop charges ten times more that it's city counterparts. I am left will little choice. Take the risk or watch TV only.

Mr R Sebire said on Friday, 15 May 2009

Who is (:)
Is it the downloaders (leeches)? or is it the seeders that are in trouble here?
Could never figure that disemanation thingy out.
Because there is no such thing as a private tracker anymore anyway.
Keep up the good work PC Advisor....
20 years and counting :)

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