Lord Mandelson confirmed yesterday that persistent illegal file-sharers could have their broadband accounts suspended as part of the government’s plan to curb online piracy – but delayed a final decision on disconnection until the next parliament.
“It must become clear that the days of consequence-free widespread online infringement are over,” the business secretary said yesterday.
The suspension proposals, introduced unexpectedly during the Digital Britain consultation in August, have divided the UK media industry.
Such so-called technical measures to punish pirates will be introduced only if a year-long campaign of letter writing, backed by the threat of legal action by content owners, fails to reduce online piracy by about 70 per cent. The anti-piracy measures are to be included in next month’s digital economy bill.
Under the plans, the secretary of state will decide in spring 2011 whether to introduce temporary disconnection as a “very last resort” for “persistent rule breakers” who have already had two warnings.
“I have no expectation of mass suspensions resulting,” Lord Mandelson said.
The opposition said that the new timeline appeared to run counter to the government’s statement in August that previous anti-piracy proposals included in the Digital Britain report would take an “unacceptable amount of time to complete in a situation that calls for urgent action”. Jeremy Hunt, the shadow culture secretary, said: “We’ve had three [policy] changes in five months . . . It’s clear that the government doesn’t know what to do and, until the bill is actually published, no one is any wiser as to how they will act.”
Some industry observers agreed. James Alexander, media partner at Deloitte, said: “This is a bit of an analogue response to a digital issue. It does seem to strike against the speed at which digital is seeking to develop and operate.”
But rights holders welcomed the plan after lobbying for the UK to follow France’s example of a “three strikes” policy.
John Reid, chairman of Warner Music Europe, said the digital economy bill would “help to deter illegal file-sharing and create an environment in which compelling, legitimate music services can flourish, preserving investment in new talent and protecting the many jobs in this country that depend on the existence of recorded music”.
The UK creative industry employed almost 2m people and generated £16bn a year in exports, Lord Mandelson said.
Broadband providers and rights holders would “share the costs” of anti-piracy measures, Lord Mandelson said. Rights holders will have to pay a flat fee per notification of an individual spotted file-sharing.
People accused of file- sharing will be able to make three appeals before having their broadband cut off, in what Lord Mandelson pledged would be a “fair, thorough process, involving clear warnings”.
The proposal comes as efforts by the European parliament to define internet access as an inalienable human right seem to have foundered.
source: ft.com
