8 April 2008
The Government wants Internet service providers (ISP’s) to monitor their customers much more closely and disconnect users showing signs of illegal activities.
Charles Dunstone, the chief executive of Carphone Warehouse, has stated that he would refuse to disconnect Internet users caught illegally downloading copyright music and other items.
The Government is trying to persuade ISP’s to reach agreement with the BPI, the body that represents the music industry, to agree a "three strikes and out" policy where people caught breaching copyright will have their connection cut after the third offence. However, the proposal is controversial because it requires Internet providers to monitor what their customers do, to discover if they are engaged in any illegal downloading.
Carphone operates the TalkTalk service and has rejected claims to become Internet police, stating that it feels monitoring its customers Internet activity is infringing on their freedom to search the Internet.
In response, the BPI said that Carphone Warehouse was either seeking "to misrepresent our position, or just doesn’t get it". The BPI said that it wanted Internet providers to act on information that is provided to them, and said that it "firmly believes in an Internet where property rights are respected and creativity is fairly rewarded".
Other Internet providers, such as Virgin Media, have appeared more willing to co-operate. But without the support of all major providers it is hard to see how the proposal can go ahead, unless the Government enforce a threat to legislate if the industry cannot agree.
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