[LINK] The letter is in the mail

[Jan Whitaker]

http://www.theage.com.au/national/online-movie-fans-face-scrutiny-20080803-3pcd.html

Online movie fans face scrutiny

    * Jesse Hogan
    * August 4, 2008

INTERNET users who download illegal copies of the 
latest movies and television shows could get warning letters in the mail.

The film production industry is pressuring 
Australian internet providers to start sending 
"we know what you're doing"-type letters to 
customers who are tracked downloading copyright 
content, warning them they face disconnection or 
even legal action if they continue.

The Australian Federation Against Copyright 
Theft, an industry body, has long wanted internet 
providers to clamp down on illegal downloads, but 
has renewed its call after a recent preliminary 
agreement in Britain between studios, internet 
providers and the Government for greater intervention.

The federation's last study, in 2005, found 
piracy cost the industry $250 million a year, but 
executive director Adrianne Pecotic said the 
figure was likely to be much higher now because 
of the increased penetration of broadband.

She said a trial of a "graduated response" policy 
in the United States, involving internet 
providers contacting customers suspected of 
piracy, resulted in nine out of 10 users stopping 
illegal file sharing after their first warning.

The federation wants a voluntary agreement with 
the internet providers ­ so it can devote its 
time to prosecuting those involved in selling 
pirated content ­ but the head of Australia's 
dominant internet provider, Telstra BigPond, said 
it was essential that police led any piracy targeting process.

"We want to play our part but in order to have a 
democratic society 
 you need laws on one hand 
and law enforcement on the other hand," BigPond 
group managing director Justin Milne said.

Ms Pecotic said there was no legal impediment for 
internet providers to support the policy, because 
most internet usage contracts stipulate customers 
cannot use the service for illegal purposes.
[I've left off the organisation's website address 
to avoid giving them any more 'publicity']


Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com
personal: http://www.janwhitaker.com/personal/
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/

"No Longer Anonymous, of Berwick"

Writing Lesson #54:
Learn to love revision. Think of it as polishing 
the silver for guests. - JW, May, 2007
_ __________________ _


-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG. 
Version: 7.5.526 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1589 - Release Date: 3/08/2008 1:00 PM