SCI FI PI

D’oh!

New Scientist reports that the UK will be the first country where a polite approach to illegal downloading of music and video will soon be under way. A new government plan will be implemented, in league with the six biggest internet providers.

The first phase of the plan – letters. That’s right, letters will be sent to those people who are downloading pirated music and video. If you’re a kid, your parents will get the letter.

A three-month trial period will kick off with the letters, and if there is no reduction in downloading, further measures are being considered. These include a ‘three strikes and you’re out” system (out of the internet!) or filtering to prevent material from being downloaded illegally.

A thirty pound levy on every internet connection is also being considered.

ISPs Virgin Media, BSkyB, Carphone Warehouse, BT, Orange and Tiscali and had previously argued with the proposed changes, saying that they were mere conduits, but not responsible for the downloading. The government has had a different response.

Every single download from every single site is easily tracked by ISPs. If the plan succeeds, it is highly likely that governments across the globe may look into further new measures to curb illegal downloading.

France has already introduced a scheme to disconnect persistent downloaders, while, in the US, industry groups have brought lawsuits against tens of thousands of individuals for copyright infringement.

Media companies are increasingly lobbying for new attacks on piracy, after heavy investment in digital rights management (DRM) software to restrict copying and playback of files failed to halt growth in file sharing.