Is part of that country’s new "3-strikes-and-you’re-out" policy for suspected illegal downloaders.
Several months ago I noted how France was creating a new 3-strikes-and-your-out policy for those repeatedly accused of illegal file-sharing.
The agreement forges together music producers, audiovisual producers, ISPs and public authorities, each pledging to do their part in fighting internet piracy. The plan, endorsed by the French President himself, Nicolas Sarkozy, calls for the creation of a independent government body which will operate a system of warnings leading to the suspension or termination of internet subscriptions used for illegal file-sharing.
“We have to do something, but it is only transitional, only to give time to the industry to adapt and maybe to encourage a new business model,” said Mr Berbinau, the man responsible for implementing the new measures.
Today legislation is being proposed that will allow the French govt. to send e-mail warnings to people that have been suspected of engaging in such conduct in support of the new policy. The kicker is that they will be sent to all of those accused of illegal file-sharing and not just those who do so on a "large-scale"(whatever that means.)
“They would be sent to each IP [internet protocol] address," Berbinau said. "It is not a huge technical challenge.”
In return for the govt’s crackdown on illegal file-sharing, the French music industry has agreed to drop DRM protections for French music catalogues so that it can be downloaded and played on any type of portable media player. For its part, the French movie industry has also agreed to speed up the release of movies on DVD.
Critics of the plan point out the irony of the fact that a country which so openly prides itself on the freedoms of expression, thought, and association has decided to become the first democracy in the world to inspect the data being freely transferred amongst citizens of the state on the internet.
“I don’t think it is possible for society to have laws and then to tolerate a universal breach of them," said Berbinau.
It’s surprising to note that file-sharers here in the US may not have it so bad as previously thought. It’s even more suppressing to realize that France, a country so quick to point point out how corporations are allowed undue sway over our politicians here, have allowed precisely that to occur in almost record time.
The French govt. basically gave up net neutrality and personal privacy for all of its citizens simply so that the movie industry would speed up the release of movies on DVD and the music industry would end the use of DRM on French music.
Related Posts
- Virgin Media Will be the First UK ISP to Disconnect Illegal File-Sharers
- Japanese ISPs to Ban File-Sharers from the Internet
- French RIAA Announces Deadline to Ban File-Sharers from the Internet
- Virgin Media: ‘We Have No Plans to Disconnect Illegal File-Sharers
- France to Ban Illegal File-Sharers From the Internet?
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Heheh Pepe La Pu (sp?)
Meh just proxy Brazil they’ve got the police power to be chasing Lan Center ghosts or better yet just proxy Sweden they’re so bloody close that you’ll barely see a pip of lag.
Good luck to the Frenchmen and women out there who have to put up with these draconian lockdowns.
This law has not passed yet!