No more disconnection of Illegal music downloaders for ISPs

The Government has now indicated there will no longer be any force put on Internet Service Providers to disconnect users that are found illegally downloading video or music files.

The difference between “younger people not quite buying into the system” and organized counterfeiting gangs was vast said the Intellectual Property Minister, David Lammy.

“We can’t have a system where we’re talking about arresting teenagers in their bedrooms. People can rent a room in a hotel and leave with a bar of soap – there’s a big difference between leaving with a bar of soap and leaving with the television.” Said Mr Lammy.

Enforced broadband disconnection brought about a number of complex legal issues said Lammy, who has started a new consultation called Developing a Copyright agenda for the 21st Century “I’m not sure it’s actually going to be possible,” he said.

These comments are a stark contrast to those made by the Culture Secretary, Andy Burnham previously, who said that forcing internet companies cut off customers who continued to fileshare illegally was something the Government had “serious legislative intent” to do. The publication of the Digital Britain report this week by the Communications Minister, Lord Carter is expected to cover this area.

The creation of a “rights agency” by Lord Carter, which will use a levy on Internet service providers for funding, that will address the current piracy issue, or may compensate the music industry by adding an additional charge to broadband customers’ bill was suggested in early leaked drafts of the report. Bosses in the music industry have, however, warned that damage could be done to both technology companies and the music industry if the government goes through with the web piracy regulations.

At the recent Midem international music industry conference the chief executive of UK Music, Feargal Sharkey said that intervention by the government could be detrimental to lovers of music and a deal between the music industry and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) was only “weeks away”.

In a comment to the Daily Telegraph he said “Regulation brings a cost to all parties. We all need to be sensitive that the debt we pay for an imposed government solution does not outweigh the benefits and the rewards. We are close, maybe weeks or months away, from finding some solutions for music lovers. It’s about choice for fans and there isn’t a one size fits all solution,” he added.