Most Popular
| Top Stories | Commented | Featured |
4-Way Intel H55 Motherboard Shootout featured
Tech Tip of the Week: Customize Your Windows 7 Start Menu Button featured
Catalyst 10.3 previewed, full release coming next week
EVGA Classified SR-2 fits twin six-core Xeon processors
Microsoft loses another patent suit, must pay $105 million
New GeForce 197.13 beta drivers fix overheating issues
TechSpot RSSIndustry News
UK illegal file sharers face net ban
Those who illegally download movies and music in the UK could have their Internet service cut off under new legislative proposals being drafted by the government as part of a planned crackdown on piracy to be announced next week.
The proposed new law is based on a 'three-strike' system, similar to that under discussion in France, and would require ISPs to take action against the estimated six million users a year who access pirated material. Under proposals, a warning email will be sent to first-time offenders, a second offence will warrant a temporary suspension and a third offence will see their contract with their ISP suspended.
Although the full details are not yet available, the news is already causing consternation among privacy advocacy groups as ISPs would likely be required to snoop at the content being sent over their networks.
The proposed new law is based on a 'three-strike' system, similar to that under discussion in France, and would require ISPs to take action against the estimated six million users a year who access pirated material. Under proposals, a warning email will be sent to first-time offenders, a second offence will warrant a temporary suspension and a third offence will see their contract with their ISP suspended.
Although the full details are not yet available, the news is already causing consternation among privacy advocacy groups as ISPs would likely be required to snoop at the content being sent over their networks.
User Comments (3)
Post a comment| thejedislayer on February 12, 2008 12:58 PM | I don't think people should download illegal stuff likes
movies, songs, and games, etc. However, I also firmly and
completely believe in net neutrality. I can't believe that
Great Britain's legislative is even considering approving an
act where ISP's are now forced to monitor what it is that
their customers do and then get them when they find that
their downloading illegal stuff. It also infuriates me that
these major companies are getting their way now in Great
Britain. I understand that their profits are hurting because
of people downloading illegal torrents etc. Again, I still
think the Net shouldn't be monitored. I just hope such
action never happens here.
|
| phantasm66 on February 13, 2008 1:04 AM | Actually, I seriously doubt that this is about to happen any
time soon, and if it is, I seriously doubt it will
work. Its not easy for ISPs to monitor what EVERYONE is doing. That's like asking the postal service to open every single letter and read it and check it does not mention anything to do with terrorism. Its a massive, massive task to do what the government and music industry is asking for, and I really doubt that ISPs have the manpower or the resources - remember that these facts will need to be verified to avoid false accusations that could lead to lawsuits. Additionally, this will only encourage the hacker / P2P community to create software that encrypts the content and makes it impossible for the ISP to examine. ISPs won't be able to tell what's being downloaded at all. I think this is just the music industry leaning on the government in a last ditch attempt to deal with the fact that their model belongs in the 20th century not the 21st. I did see the BBC News 24 TV article on this. They had some guy from a music industry association of some sort on. He talked about being concerned that artists could "pay their electricitiy bills." I could no longer take the dude seriously after that. Like Bono and Madonna and Snoop Dogg and Brittney and Amy Winehouse are about to have their electricity cut off!!! Get real. More likely, the music industry will give in in a year or two and admit defeat. We will probably see the end of illegal downloads then, finally, because songs and music will be for free, you'll just have ads and stuff on the sites you download them from. Trying to stop the sharing of media on the Net is a bit like trying to uninvent the printing press, i.e. not likely at all.
|
| icye on February 13, 2008 1:55 PM | Its meant to just scare a few from downloading music,
movies, and games from the net. The music & movie industry
has an aging business model that is going to way of the
dinosaur very soon.
|
