[LINK] ArsT: 'Internet disconnections come to Ireland'

[Roger Clarke]

Internet disconnections come to Ireland, starting today
By Nate Anderson | Last updated about 5 hours ago - 24-25 May 2010
Ars Technica
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/05/internet-disconnections-come-to-ireland-starting-today.ars

"Three strikes" will start striking out the Irish today. The Irish 
Times reports that one of the largest ISPs in the country, Eircom, 
has agreed to process 50 content industry complaints each week, and 
to disconnect users who rack up three complaints.

The move has been awaited for months. Eircom voluntarily agreed to 
the system after being sued by the major music labels, but had yet to 
implement it while it was challenged on grounds of data privacy.

But IP addresses aren't considered "private," said the Irish High 
Court in April, and so Eircom today becomes the only ISP in the 
country to adopt a graduated response system. The Irish Times says 
that this is the first such system in the world, though South Korea 
has had something similar (but mandatory) in place for some time. 
France has also approved such a system, but it has yet to take effect.

The system is needed, in the words of Mr. Justice Peter Charleton, 
because "the mischievous side of the human personality, containing a 
repulsive aspect as well as an attractive and humorous one, has also 
come to the fore over the Internet."


-- 
Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/
			            
Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
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mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW
Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University