May 12, 2009 10:19

Music industry alliance wants file-sharers cut off from internet

Alliance will pressure government today (May 12)

New calls from an alliance of UK creative industries have been made for persistent music file-sharers to have their internet connections severed.

An alliance of trade bodies has come together to pressure the government into forcing internet service providers (ISPs) to cut off users who repeatedly ignore warnings about sharing illegal content.

The alliance, which includes the British Phonographic Industry, the UK Film Council and the Federation Against Copyright Theft, claims that half of net traffic in the UK is illegal content, and that this is a risk to jobs, reports BBC News.

John Woodward, head of the UK Film Council, said: "The growing threat of illegal P2P file-sharing threatens (the creative industries) as films go unmade, DVD sales deteriorate and jobs are lost in production and the distribution of content."

Representatives for group have jointly signed a document which outlines a set of "urgent recommendations" they want included in the Government's Digital Britain manifesto.

It represents a significant hardening of their attitude to ISPs, who they previously said should focus on education and training.

But the Internet Service Providers Association reckons that it is the licensing agreements that need to be rewritten.

Secretary General Nicholas Lansman, said: "ISPA recognises that there is a problem with unlawful peer-to-peer 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."