UK: Illegal Downloading May Get You Banned

[engine]

People who illegally download films and music will be cut off from the internet under new legislative proposals to be unveiled next week.

Internet service providers (ISPs) will be legally required to take action against users who access pirated material, The Times has learnt.

Users suspected of wrongly downloading films or music will receive a warning e-mail for the first offence, a suspension for the second infringement and the termination of their internet contract if caught a third time, under the most likely option to emerge from discussions about the new law.

UK: Illegal Downloading May Get You Banned [technology.timesonline.co.uk]

[sem4u]

I have got to say that in theory this is a very good thing; whether it can be effectively policed or not is another thing entirely.

If it makes people stop and think about downloading pirated songs and movies then I am all for it. Really this sort of activity is no better than going into a store and stealing CDs or DVDs. People cannot justify it and now may lose their internet access because of it.

[edit_g]

It would be good if the industry could actually come up with a viable DRM free alternative. Then I'd support this wholeheartedly. But, from an industry which marks up cds by 900%, it's probably more convenient to bully ISPs to do this so that they can carry their dead business model for a few more years... All at the expense of the end user.

[menton]

Infringing copyright by downloading a movie is nothing like going into a store and stealing CDs or DVDs. I’m not defending copyright infringement, but that and theft is two different things. I also don’t get why it is the job of the ISPs to police the internet in the UK. Of course if there is illegal material on their servers it is, but this is something completely different.

I also don’t understand why the ISPs would be interested in cutting their customer base by having a 3 strike rule for their customers. Even if this law was brought in, how long will it be before the technology moves on and torrent traffic etc is encrypted?

As edit_g said, there is no alternative to those who want to buy movies online. The MPAA and RIAA are more interested in hanging on to an outdated business model and making up figures out of their heads to reflect monies lost by piracy. They have traditionally been anti new technologies and until they start looking at new business models they will always be playing catch up.

[sem4u]

Infringing copyright by downloading a movie is nothing like going into a store and stealing CDs or DVDs. I’m not defending copyright infringement, but that and theft is two different things.

It is still stealing. If you created a CD or a film and most people stole your work, instead of paying for it, you may be slightly annoyed?

[jomaxx]

I'm more worried about how this would be implemented. I usually feel the "slippery slope" argument is somewhat of a fraud, but in this case one wonders what will come next, once there's a technological and legal mechanism in place for monitoring and reporting on and enforcing everything everyone is doing online.