BPI hits out at BT over apathetic approach to file-sharers

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has slated internet service provider BT over its approach to online piracy, suggesting it's responsible for allowing approximately 100,000 customers download illegally without consequence.

The BPI claims it's managed to collect details of individual IP addresses suspected of involvement with file-sharing sites (although it didn't elaborate on how it had obtained this level of informationl) and has accused the internet provider of ignoring its responsibility for dealing with the situation. Speaking to the Mirror, Geoff Taylor, chief executive of BPI, aired his views: “It's shameful for a company like BT to know that a high percentage of the traffic it carries is illegal material but do nothing. If you operate a commercial service and know it is being used to break the law, taking steps to ensure it is used legally is a cost of doing business.”

In fairness, a spokesman for BT pointed out peer-to-peers applications (used to file-share) aren't always used for illegal activity. This service is also used to enjoy online games (World of Warcraft, for example) and to “investigate the exact nature of each case would involve an intrusive level of inspection of people's traffic and customers would rightly complain.”

Earlier in the week, BT explained to Your Money Government if it adopted plans to tackle piracy on the web, consumer broadband bills could be pushed up by £24 a year.
 

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