Download pirates facing internet ban

Published on Tuesday 25 August 2009 22:22

WEB users who persist in illegally downloading music and films could have their internet connections cut off under tough new measures unveiled by the government yesterday.

In a move that is likely to promote a backlash among internet users, minister for digital Britain Stephen Timms said the government was considering suspending the internet accounts of individuals and blocking their access to download sites.

Mr Timms said the previous proposal under consideration, which only went as far as potentially restricting the speed of users' broadband accounts, could "delay action, impacting unfairly upon rights holders".

Only two months ago, the notion of having internet service providers cut off users' access altogether was ruled out in the government's Digital Britain report.

The new guidelines go significantly further and will appease the creative industries, who are concerned that the millions of people who illegally download files every year in Britain are harming their trade.

Read Stuart Dredge's analysis of this story here

The music industry welcomed the proposals as a "step forward" in the battle against piracy, but digital music experts said the key to minimising the impact of illegal filesharing is to make legal downloads more easily accessible.

Unveiling the "swifter and more flexible measures", Mr Timms said: "Technology and consumer behaviour are fast-changing and it's important that Ofcom has the flexibility to respond quickly to deal with unlawful filesharing.

"We've been listening carefully to responses to the consultation, and it's become clear there are widespread concerns that the plans as they stand could delay action, impacting unfairly upon rights holders.

"So we look forward to hearing views on our new ideas, which will help us determine the best way to tackle this complex challenge."

British Phonographic Industry chief executive Geoff Taylor said: "We welcome the government's recognition that this problem needs to be addressed urgently, so today is a step forward that should help the legal digital market to grow."

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said cutting off internet connections would be used "only as a last resort against the hardcore of copyright pirates".

But the Open Rights Group, which campaigns for freedom of the internet, said the idea of suspending internet access would "restrict people's fundamental right to freedom of expression".

Executive director Jim Killock said: "It would also fly in the face of the government's policy of universal broadband access. It smacks of a knee-jerk reaction at a time when copyright infringement is reducing and online revenues are increasing."

Consumer Focus also criticised the measures as disproportionate and called for a "fairer, more proportionate" response.

Internet provider TalkTalk said the proposals were "futile", adding that determined filesharers could easily mask their identity to avoid detection.

HOW TO DOWNLOAD

1 Users download a torrent program such as Bit Torrent or uTorrent

2 They search online via Google or a number of torrent sites for the file they want

3 "Seeds" – users on other computers who have the file – share it with the "peer", who is looking to receive it

4 Once the download is complete, the peer becomes a seed, making the file more freely available to others

5 The user is able to play the file via a variety of media, either using a PC or streaming it to a television or mp3 player