Those in the UK who choose to download music and films illegally may be about to face a legislative backlash under new plans from the government. The new emphasis to police illegal downloads has been firmly placed upon the service providers who will be forced to penalise those who download pirate material.
The plans however are still at an early stage and the final legislation is still a long way away. The music and film industry claim they lose millions of pounds a year through illegal downloads; with an estimated six million people conducting pirate downloads each year the problem has reached gargantuan proportions.
Legislation will focus upon the broadband providers to enforce downloading laws and provide information on customers suspected of piracy to the courts. The UK’s biggest providers have been in consultation with the government but an agreement has not been reached. The problem for service providers is how to prove allegations, as it is easy for culprits to claim their internet service has been ‘piggybacked’ by an external party.
Technology however is being developed to monitor clients downloads; this is believed to assist in identifying culprits and producing evidence for conviction. This does bring into question the data protection laws currently in operation in the UK; resolution on this issue is vital for the plans to go ahead.
Service providers have argued that they are unable to monitor downloads across their network; just as much as the post office is unable to open every envelope that goes through the postal system. Record companies in retaliation have stated that providers have not done enough and allowed these illegal practises to continue unabated.
Clearly now is the time for broadband companies to stop sheltering behind supposed privacy laws and tackle this problem head on, with the government now leaning on the providers the result should be technology that allows the tracing of piracy culprits. Pirates however have always managed to side step legislation as well as changes in media format. With illegal downloading being so rife, the proposed legislation will be hard pressed to bring all the culprits to justice.
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