Industry alliance calls for urgent action against illegal downloaders

An alliance of creative industries including the BPI, FACT and the National Union of Journalists are joining forces today to make a formal statement at The Future of the Creative Economy conference, calling for urgent action against illegal downloaders.

Expected to urge the government to force internet service providers to disconnect users who persist in downloading copyright content illegally regardless of receiving warning letters, the statement will be passed over on behalf of nine creative bodies and five trade unions.

Pointing out more than 50 per cent of net traffic in the UK involves the downloading and uploading of illegal content, prior to the conference, John Woodward, head of the UK Film Council, spoke to the BBC to air his views on the effects of downloading against the film industry.

Woodward said: “The growing threat of illegal P2P [peer-to-peer] file-sharing threatens [the creative industries], as films go unmade, DVD sales deteriorate and jobs are lost in production and distribution of content.”

However, even before the statement has been released, flaws and drawbacks are being pointed out from bodies including the Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA).

Responding to the statements plea to “ensure the future of broadband in the UK will be safe and secure delivery of legal content”, the ISPA said internet companies already find it increasingly difficult to secure the licensing needed to offer consumers legal alternatives to download multimedia content. It recommended “legislation on enforcement should only be introduced on the condition that the rights holder industry commits to significant licensing reform".

As far as the ISPA are concerned, disconnection isn't necessarily the best way to deal with potential infringers of copyright – an opinion recently supported by the European Parliament. ISPA secretary general Nicholas Lansman explained: “ISPA recognises that there is a problem with unlawful P2P file sharing, but it is important to recognise that a major part of the solution lies in licensing reform and the availability of legal content online. ISPA remains committed to working with the Government and the creative industries to find a solution which balances the needs of all parties and is fair for consumers.”

Meanwhile, internet technology group Forward was keen to share its more outspoken opinion on the alliance of creative industries ahead of the conference today. Spokesman, Martin McNulty said: “The alliance's response to file sharing is at best naïve and at worse dangerous. File sharing is an enabling technology that is fast, efficient and here to stay. Turning off file sharers via their internet service provider won't stop file sharing and for the creative industry to think its problems will be solved in this way is extremely short-sighted.”

He continued: “If the film industry is worried about lost sales, then perhaps it should be collaborating with file sharing technology and developing alternative revenue models that harness it, not resist it.”

Of course, Broadband Genie News will let you know more about the alliance's statement from today's conference once it is made available.