Oops. Thanks and sorry about that. :)<br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">2009/8/31 Alex Foti <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:alex.foti@gmail.com">alex.foti@gmail.com</a>></span><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
says in the subject. they come from the online version of the<br>
financial times. pirate ciaos, lx<br>
<div><div></div><div class="h5"><br>
On Mon, Aug 31, 2009 at 3:25 PM, Erika Nilsson<<a href="mailto:narnigrin@gmail.com">narnigrin@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
> Er. Not only does the second article equal digital pirates with 18th century<br>
> pirates, it seems to have got half of its facts wrong (eg. after the Ipred<br>
> law was introduced in Sweden, nobody said that illegal downloading decreased<br>
> by 40% - how would they have measured that, anyway? - but a lot of sources<br>
> mentioned the *total internet traffic* going down by 40-70%. And as we all<br>
> know, Piratpartiet did not win a seat in the national parliament) ...<br>
><br>
> Where did you find these articles?<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> 2009/8/31 Alex Foti <<a href="mailto:alex.foti@gmail.com">alex.foti@gmail.com</a>><br>
>><br>
>> Lobbying leads to harder stance on net piracy<br>
>><br>
>> By Tim Bradshaw and Salamander Davoudi<br>
>><br>
>> Published: August 26 2009 03:00 | Last updated: August 26 2009 03:00<br>
>><br>
>> Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, yesterday hardened the<br>
>> government's attack on online piracy . The move came after lobbying by<br>
>> the film and music industry over concerns that the digital economy<br>
>> bill provides an in-suf-ficient deterrent.<br>
>><br>
>> The government took the unusual step of adding to an ongoing<br>
>> consultation a proposal to suspend the broadband accounts of repeat<br>
>> offenders.<br>
>><br>
>> The Digital Britain report , published in June when Lord Carter was<br>
>> communications minister, had proposed that internet service providers<br>
>> write letters to those accused of infringing copyright. Repeat<br>
>> offenders could be taken to court.<br>
>><br>
>> If this had not reduced file-sharing by 70 per cent after a year, the<br>
>> report proposed, Ofcom would be given "backstop" powers to compel ISPs<br>
>> to block sites or slow down offenders' broadband connections.<br>
>><br>
>> Rights holders, who lose millions of pounds in revenues to piracy<br>
>> every year, feared it could take at least two years before tougher<br>
>> measures were introduced.<br>
>><br>
>> "Since the issue of the consultation, some stakeholders have argued<br>
>> strongly that none of those technical measures is powerful enough to<br>
>> have a significant deterrent effect on infringing behaviour," said the<br>
>> government.<br>
>><br>
>> Under the new proposals , Ofcom could be given ex-panded powers<br>
>> immediately. Suspension would be a "very serious sanction" that<br>
>> "should be regarded as very much a last resort", the government said.<br>
>> Access to online public services and other essential sites could still<br>
>> be allowed.<br>
>><br>
>> The final decision on these "technical measures" will now rest with<br>
>> Lord Mandelson rather than with Ofcom. Although Ofcom will advise the<br>
>> business secretary, he would be free to "take into account other,<br>
>> wider factors and other sources of information" before taking a<br>
>> decision, the government said, allowing the authorities to move "much<br>
>> quicker" than the regulator acting alone.<br>
>><br>
>> Senior film and music executives including Lucian Grainge, head of<br>
>> Universal Music International, have met Lord Mandelson to discuss the<br>
>> proposed filesharing legislation.<br>
>><br>
>> Tom Watson, the Labour MP who resigned in June as minister for digital<br>
>> engagement, said the proposals were "silly". He wrote on his blog that<br>
>> he was "disappointed" by the new plans "as it would lead to<br>
>> accusations that the government had been captured by the big lobby<br>
>> operations of powerful rights holders".<br>
>><br>
>> Rights holders welcomed the news. "The solution to the piracy problem<br>
>> must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive," said the BPI, which<br>
>> represents the music industry. But ISPs and consumer groups said<br>
>> suspending internet accounts was "disproportionate".<br>
>><br>
>> Charles Dunstone, chief executive of Carphone Warehouse, an ISP, said:<br>
>> "I don't think you should remove the right of people to the supply of<br>
>> a service on the say-so of a third party."<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> Claws and effect<br>
>><br>
>> By Maija Palmer, Salamander Davoudi, Tim Bradshaw and Jim,Pickard in<br>
>> London and Joseph Menn in San Francisco<br>
>><br>
>> Published: August 29 2009 03:00 | Last updated: August 29 2009 03:00<br>
>><br>
>> Convicted pirates in 18thcentury Britain were hanged at the edge of<br>
>> the sea at low tide and left until three tides had washed over their<br>
>> corpses.<br>
>><br>
>> Today's digital pirates face somewhat less draconian measures, but<br>
>> proposals this week by the UK government to cut off internet access<br>
>> from those suspected of illegally downloading copyrighted material<br>
>> have created a stir. The move represents a big shift in stance,<br>
>> sending a message that a much more punitive line is in prospect.<br>
>><br>
>> Back in June the government had outlined a more gradual plan, under<br>
>> which internet service providers would write to those accused of<br>
>> infringing copyright. If these measures did not work within a year,<br>
>> Ofcom, the communications regulator, would be given powers to cut off<br>
>> internet access. Now it appears the government is unwilling to wait to<br>
>> see if the "softly-softly" approach works, and wants the power to<br>
>> disconnect brought in immediately.<br>
>><br>
>> The shifting of policy is relevant to the more than 1.5bn internet<br>
>> users worldwide, who increasingly access music and films online. The<br>
>> legality of sharing music or video files over the internet remains a<br>
>> grey area, where many people are deliberately, and manyothers<br>
>> unwittingly, falling foul of the law. More than 7m people in the UK<br>
>> alone are estimated to be using illegal filesharing sites.<br>
>><br>
>> But after 10 years of persistent lobbying, the music and film<br>
>> industries finally appear to have won a powerful ally in government.<br>
>> Lord Mandelson, the UK business secretary, is leading the push on<br>
>> filesharing regulation. Senior music industry figures, such as Lucian<br>
>> Grainge, head of Universal Music International, have been influential<br>
>> in mobilising Westminster to act. He is one of the government's<br>
>> creative ambassadors. He is also on the creative industries group of<br>
>> the opposition Conservative party, which opinion polls suggest will<br>
>> win the next general election.<br>
>><br>
>> There is a growing sense that music and film industry executives are<br>
>> starting to attract the attention of policymakers around the world - a<br>
>> sense reflected in the speculation over the meeting between Lord<br>
>> Mandelson and David Geffen, the Hollywood media mogul and outspoken<br>
>> critic of online file sharing, on holiday in Corfu this month. Lord<br>
>> Mandelson's office says they did not discuss the subject.<br>
>><br>
>> President Nicolas Sarkozy - married to Carla Bruni, a singer - gave<br>
>> strong personal backing to a proposed French internet copyright law<br>
>> that would have included a "three strikes and you are out" provision<br>
>> to cut off internet access for suspected pirates.<br>
>><br>
>> A similar law is under discussion in New Zealand. Taiwan, South Korea<br>
>> and Italy have already brought in tough penalties for file sharing.<br>
>> Sweden brought in a law this year allowing the disconnection of<br>
>> persistent illegal downloaders. Early studiesindicate that the<br>
>> practice dropped 40 per cent in the first month after the law came in.<br>
>><br>
>> The fact that the film, as well as the music industry, is losing out<br>
>> to pirates may also be influencing government policy. The threat was<br>
>> made clear this year, when the launch of 20th Century Fox's Wolverine<br>
>> was sabotaged by the circulation of an illegal copy on the internet a<br>
>> month before the film reached cinemas.<br>
>><br>
>> "The film industry has been lobbying very hard. They are much bigger<br>
>> than the music industry and they have more to lose. It is far cheaper<br>
>> to produce an album than to produce a film," says Gregor Pryor,<br>
>> partner at Reed Smith, the law firm.<br>
>><br>
>> It could, however, be economic realism, as much as the charm of music<br>
>> moguls, that has spurred politicians into action. "It may be a<br>
>> realisation that in the UK we are a postindustrial nation and the only<br>
>> competitive edge we have is our intellectual property," says Iain<br>
>> Connor, partner at law firm Pinsent Masons. "UK plc is having its<br>
>> resources drained."<br>
>><br>
>> "The UK manufacturing base is gone," agrees Cliff Fluet, partner at<br>
>> Lewis Silkin. "Look where we make all our money. Formats are big<br>
>> business. Look at [talent entrepreneur] Simon Cowell. If we don't have<br>
>> protection then we have nothing left."<br>
>><br>
>> The creative industries contribute £112.5bn ($183.2bn, €127.5bn) in<br>
>> revenue to the UK economy, equivalent to 8 per cent of gross domestic<br>
>> product, and employ 1.9m people. Piracy costs the film industry £268m<br>
>> a year, according to Respect for Film. It cost the music industry<br>
>> £180m in 2008, according to the British Phonographic Industry.<br>
>> Worldwide, the number of files downloaded illegally last year has been<br>
>> estimated at 40bn. For every track bought online, 20 were downloaded<br>
>> illegally last year, according to IFPI, the international music<br>
>> industry lobby group.<br>
>><br>
>> It is unclear whether new political will can translate into effective<br>
>> law, however. Pressure groups are already looking at how to challenge<br>
>> the proposed UK measures. The Pirate party, which defends file sharing<br>
>> and lobbies for less restrictive copyright law, is now established in<br>
>> nine countries - including Sweden, where it has won a seat in<br>
>> parliament.<br>
>><br>
>> The proposed French "three-strikes" law was thrown out by the<br>
>> constitutional council in June, on grounds of freedom of expression<br>
>> and the presumption of innocence.<br>
>><br>
>> Proposals to cut broadband connection may also be deemed illegal under<br>
>> European Union law. Proposed EU telecommunications legislation<br>
>> includes a clause stating that internet access is a fundamental human<br>
>> right. The decision to cut off access, therefore, may not be one that<br>
>> an ISP can take.<br>
>><br>
>> There is confusion over how much the law can require of ISPs, says<br>
>> Innocenzo Genna, a board member of EuroIspa, the trade grouping for<br>
>> European internet service providers. Under European law, internet<br>
>> companies are liable only for hosting illegal content, not for<br>
>> allowing their customers to view it. "The rights holders are confused<br>
>> over the two liabilities, and are trying to get something more from<br>
>> ISPs than European directives allow," Mr Genna says.<br>
>><br>
>> Charles Dunstone, chief executive of Carphone Warehouse, one of the<br>
>> UK's biggest providers, says: "We are going to fight [being forced to<br>
>> disconnect customers] as hard as we can. Our fundamental duty is to<br>
>> protect the rights of our subscribers."<br>
>><br>
>> The music industry sees such arguments as shirking responsibility.<br>
>> John Kennedy, chief executive of IFPI, the organisation representing<br>
>> the recording industry worldwide, says: "It is not enshrined in any<br>
>> law anywhere that one has the right to steal music, films and books.<br>
>> There is a crisis in the economy, and as well as respecting rights we<br>
>> have to think about the economy and jobs."<br>
>><br>
>> In fact, the Brussels telecoms proposals have yet to be adopted and<br>
>> could still be subject to change. "We are in a state of flux over<br>
>> where national regimes will come down and how they will chime with<br>
>> Brussels. September and October [when MEPs return to work] will be an<br>
>> interesting time to see how this shakes out," Mr Young says.<br>
>><br>
>> In the US the issue has a lower political profile, as the record<br>
>> industry is focused on winning voluntary co-operation from internet<br>
>> service providers. It stopped suing individual file-sharers in August<br>
>> 2008 in what it said was an "act of good faith" aimed at furthering<br>
>> talks with the ISPs.<br>
>><br>
>> The major labels have asked the big connectivity companies to impose a<br>
>> mandatory monthly surcharge on customers for access to approved music<br>
>> libraries and to pass along warnings to pirates before cutting off<br>
>> repeat offenders. Neither plan has been finalised, leading some in the<br>
>> industry to conclude they will never be put into practice. A handful<br>
>> of ISPs, however, such as AT&T and Verizon have agreed to pass on<br>
>> warnings.<br>
>><br>
>> But no ISP is cutting the cord. "This is not something where we're<br>
>> turning off customers," says AT&T spokesman Fletcher Cook.<br>
>><br>
>> Anumber of court cases in the pipeline may help to bring some clarity<br>
>> to the legal posi tion on piracy in Europe. In Ireland, internet<br>
>> companies UPC and BT Ireland have refused to comply with music<br>
>> companies' requests to cut off suspected pirates. They maintain that<br>
>> Irish law does not require them to do so, and it is now up to the<br>
>> judges to decide.<br>
>><br>
>> L'Oréal's lawsuit against Ebay for not doing enough to stop<br>
>> counterfeit beauty products being listed has been referred to the<br>
>> European Court of Justice. Defining how much the online auction site<br>
>> must do to fight illegal listings would have implications for<br>
>> filesharing sites and ISPs.<br>
>><br>
>> Advances in technology mean determined pirates will always find a way<br>
>> to avoid detection. Virtual private networks, for example, allow<br>
>> people to mask their identity, and subscribing to these sites can<br>
>> costs as little as €4 a month. There is also a new generation of "dark<br>
>> nets" - private networks of computers used for file sharing.<br>
>><br>
>> Some argue that the arrival of more legal movie and music downloading<br>
>> sites will in the long term wean people off piracy more effectively<br>
>> than draconian laws. "Piracy is the sign of a market that isn't being<br>
>> met but now you have plenty of legal sites to choose from, which<br>
>> rather removes the pirates' moral argument from under their feet,"<br>
>> says Mr Fluet.<br>
>><br>
>> The high political profile of the issue may also help. Industry<br>
>> executives say it is becoming clear to the general public that these<br>
>> practices are illegal. However changing behaviour may take time.<br>
>><br>
>> The golden age of maritime piracy came to an end in the early 18th<br>
>> century after the Royal Navy strengthened its powers - but the battle<br>
>> took several decades. Despite its powerful political allies, the media<br>
>> industry may be in for a similarly long haul.<br>
>><br>
>> Additional reporting by Tim Bradshaw and Jim Pickard<br>
>><br>
>> Table<br>
>><br>
>> Ways for consumers to access music, films or television programmes<br>
>> online range from the illicit to the legitimate, though clarity is<br>
>> frequently lacking in between:<br>
>><br>
>> *BLACK (facing legal action): Pirate Bay , Mininova , Isohunt<br>
>><br>
>> *WHITE (backed by rights holders): iTunes , Hulu , Spotify , BBC iPlayer<br>
>><br>
>> *GREY (linking to both licensed and unlicensed content): Megavideo<br>
>> (video streaming); Hype Machine (music blog aggregator); Surf the<br>
>> Channel , Sidereel (television show search engines)<br>
>> ____________________________________________________<br>
>> Pirate Parties International - General Talk<br>
>> <a href="mailto:pp.international.general@lists.pirateweb.net">pp.international.general@lists.pirateweb.net</a><br>
>> <a href="http://lists.pirateweb.net/mailman/listinfo/pp.international.general" target="_blank">http://lists.pirateweb.net/mailman/listinfo/pp.international.general</a><br>
><br>
><br>
> ____________________________________________________<br>
> Pirate Parties International - General Talk<br>
> <a href="mailto:pp.international.general@lists.pirateweb.net">pp.international.general@lists.pirateweb.net</a><br>
> <a href="http://lists.pirateweb.net/mailman/listinfo/pp.international.general" target="_blank">http://lists.pirateweb.net/mailman/listinfo/pp.international.general</a><br>
><br>
><br>
____________________________________________________<br>
Pirate Parties International - General Talk<br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br>