News story

Fight against internet piracy moves forward

Government and Ofcom take next steps on Digital Economy Act.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Ofcom have today launched a consultation on a draft code governing the Digital Economy Act’s mass notification system.

Under the system, letters will be sent to account holders whose internet connections are identified as being used to unlawfully share films, music and other copyright material.

The letters will explain what copyright is and give advice on protecting internet connections from unauthorised users.

Ofcom’s code will set out exactly how this system will work.

Legislation laid in Parliament today set out details of how the system will be paid for. Costs will largely be met by rights holders, with internet service providers paying a smaller element. A £20 fee will be charged to those who formally challenge the letters, which will be refunded if the appeal is successful.

Protecting creative industries

“We must ensure our creative industries can protect their investment,” Creative Industries Minister Ed Vaizey said. “They have the right to charge people to access their content if they wish, whether in the physical world or on the internet.

“We are putting in place a system to educate people about copyright to ensure they know what legitimate content is and where to find it. The Digital Economy Act is an important part of protecting our creative industries against unlawful activity.”

The Government will also seek to repeal sections of the Act on blocking websites dedicated to illegal filesharing, as rights holders have successfully used existing laws to block access to websites such as Newzbin2 and Pirate Bay.

Further information

Article image by George Armstrong on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Published 26 June 2012