File sharing crackdown launched by Mandelson

The Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has recently launched a crackdown on file sharing, which could affect millions of people who illegally download movies and music using their broadband connection.

Over recent years the speeds and affordability that come with broadband have led to more and more people file sharing and illicitly downloading music and movies online. This has been met with anger and frustration by the entertainment industry, which claims that a fortune in revenue is being lost by the industry due to this practice, but there has been little to no success with steps to try and stop people from doing this.

However, the Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, has recently launched the latest crackdown on illegal file sharing amongst broadband users, and this could affect millions of broadband users that engage in this practice. Mandelson announced his crackdown just days after meeting with a well known Hollywood critic of the practice.

The new laws that form part of the crackdown could result in those found guilty of illegal file sharing could result in people not only having their internet accounts suspended but also facing fines as large as fifty thousand pounds. The measures have been branded as an attack on civil liberties by some critics.

The Hollywood mogul that Mandelson met with before announcing his plans was David Geffen, who founded the Asylum Records label as well as founding DreamWorks Studios along with movie hotshot Steven Spielberg. Following the announcement of the measures one Tory backbencher stated: ‘It does seem a remarkable coincidence. Peter Mandelson should be forced to reveal the full extent of his meetings with wealthy friends on holiday and, in the name of openness, disclose exactly what they discussed.’

Source – Daily Mail