Here we go again…. I think the whole Government initiative, the newly launched Consultation Paper on legislative options to address illicit P2P file-sharing and the development of the proposed code of conduct needs to be carefully thought by taking into account fundamental human rights such as access to information as well as privacy of communications. If any Internet users commits a crime and share pirated content then the entertainment industry should pursue legal action on such users. That is the only solution. It does come at a cost but cutting access or termination of accounts is a rather dubious and not an acceptable solution. The ISPs should not act as self appointed prosecutors, and judges, and only courts of law can decide if a user has committed a crime.

Consultation on legislative options to address illicit P2P file-sharing
Starting Date: 24-07-08 Closing Date: 30-10-08
This consultation is intended to set out and gather views on a proposal for a co-regulatory approach that could be adopted in order to facilitate and ensure co-operation between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and rights holders to address the problem of illicit use of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing technology to exchange unlawful copies of copyright material. This takes forward Recommendation 39 of the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property which addressed the issue of illicit use of P2P. The consultation also identifies and seeks views on other potential options and calls for evidence on issues related to illicit use of P2P.

BERR Press release: New measures to address online file-sharing
Consultation Document: Consultation on legislative options to address illicit peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing

Leading ISPs agree to warn illegal file-sharers: “The UK’s six major internet service providers (ISPs) have agreed to write to 1,000 of their subscribers a week on behalf of the music and film industries warning them not to engage in copyright-infringing file-sharing.”

See also the BBC News coverage: Net firms in music pirates deal

The Times coverage: Music companies to police illegal downloads: No sooner had Britain’s six biggest internet service providers (ISPs) agreed to monitor illegal file sharing than the web was abuzz with suggestions to get around the scheme.

Wired News coverage: British ISP File Share Smackdown Targets Accounts, Not Users

Slyck.com coverage: BPI and ISPs Agree to challenge P2P Piracy in the UK