UK ISPs to Begin Sending Copyright Infringers "Get it Right" Messages

[engine]

A project that is some years in the making is finally going live this month. We first reported on May 9, 2014, about the ISPs sending letters to users downloading copyright material without paying. The "letters" will come in the form of an e-mail with a "Get it Right" theme.

It'll be very interesting to see how this one goes because there is likely to be one customer, but multiple users in many households. Businesses, of course, may also get the missives.

UK ISPs are to start sending "educational letters" to customers identified as downloading copyright material without paying for it.
It is part of the UK government's attempt to crack down on piracy.
BT, Virgin Media, TalkTalk and Sky have agreed to send the missives, which will be emailed rather than posted.

[bbc.co.uk...]

Original story Watered Down UK ISP Piracy Letters Won't Now Have User Follow-Up [webmasterworld.com]

[topr8]

whata joke ... if there was any seriousness to this ... then the downloads would just be blocked ... however in the case of businesses it could be effective, especially if the law is changed so that the account holder is liable for any usage and massive fines are threatened as well.

[engine]

*It's bad, stop it, or we'll write to you again and tell you to stop it.*
I agree, it's very lightweight, and the worst perpetrators might just ignore it. Education is one thing, but this policy has no teeth to follow up.

[lucy24]

if there was any seriousness to this ... then the downloads would just be blocked

Even in the UK, I really really doubt that any ISP could get away with doing this unless the law explicitly ordered them to do so.

stop it, or we'll write to you again and tell you to stop it

Yes, it sounds like the Canadian police. “Stop! Stop, or I’ll ... uh ... I’ll shout ‘Stop!’ again.”

[topr8]

i agree lucy, that a UK (or any) ISP wouldn't do it, although i suspect it is in their terms and conditions that illegal activity is not allowed, so they probably could if they were inclined.

but then again how many of them basically sell bandwidth off the back of knowing that it is used for illegal downloads and suchlike. (none obviously)

[Dimitri]

May be that one purpose of this , is to reduce the bandwidth usage from ISP subscribers. Maybe ISP are seeing their bandwidth usage increasing, and costing them too much money.

I don't know if there is french guys here, but, once I think I read about an article saying that in France they are detecting and cutting internet connection to people downloading illegal content. Or may be I miss understood.