Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA UK) Says focus should be on “reform of content licensing to enable legal alternatives at a fair price.”
The Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA), the UK’s Trade Association for providers of Internet services that was established in 1995 to promotes competition, self-regulation and the development of the Internet industry, is once again voicing its opposition for “evolved” plans by UK Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and his Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to impose technical measures against accused file-sharers that includes Internet disconnection.
It’s concerned that the recently introduced Digital Economy Bill, far from strengthening the nation’s communications infrastructure, will penalize the success of the Internet industry and undermine the backbone of the digital economy.
“ISPA is extremely disappointed by aspects of the proposals to address illicit file-sharing,” said ISPA Secretary General Nicholas Lansman. “This legislation is being fast-tracked by the Government and will do little to address the underlying problem.”
It’s also worried that that the proposals give the govt far too much control in forcing ISPs to use technical sanctions on suspected file-sharers. The ISPA believes that an independent body would be a fairer way to make the determination.
The ISPA says technical measures such as filtering would be ineffective, expensive, difficult to implement, and could have unintended consequences such as restricting access to legitimate services.
It thinks the best way to solve the problem of illegal file-sharing is simple: offer consumers viable alternatives.
“Rather than focusing blindly on enforcement, the Government should be asking rightsholders to reform the licensing framework so that legal content can be distributed online to consumers in a way that they are clearly demanding,” added Lansman. “ISPA continues to believe strongly that a reduction in unlawful file sharing can only be achieved if the focus turns to the education of consumers and the reform of content licensing to enable legal alternatives at a fair price.”
If South Korea, the first country in the world to implement a “three-strikes” approach to illegal file-sharing, is any indication of what could happen then there is rightly cause for concern.
After becoming the first country to threaten accused file-sharers with Internet disconnection this past July, copyright holders are finding that rampant piracy still exists. They’ve now decided to ratchet up the battle even further by warning all P2P sites to install filters preventing users from uploading copyrighted material by the end of the year or face “stern legal measures.”
Is that what we want? Commercial interests forcing others to implement content filters without public input?
Even filters will be an effort in futility and file-sharers will simply turn to alternatives as they always have and always will.
Stay tuned.
jared@zeropaid.com
Related
- UK Copyright Group Wants File-Sharers Disconnected, ISPs Say No
- Billy Bragg: Music Industry Wants ISPs to “Do Their Dirty Work”
- UK ISP Association Criticizes “Three-Strikes” Plan – Again
- UK ISPs: ‘We’re not Responsible for Illegal File-Sharing on Our Networks’
- Survey: 33% with Digital TV & Internet Don’t Think File-Sharing’s Wrong
