2009-05-13

By Editor, CIR

Business and union leaders have called on internet service providers (ISPs) to police their customers' activities in a bid to combat online piracy.

An alliance that includes the Federation Against Copyright Theft, the Publishers' Association, the British Phonographic Industry and actor's union Equity, wants tighter regulation that would see ISPs disconnect persistent illegal file-sharers.

They argue that tougher action is needed to protect an estimated 800,000 jobs in the creative industries, and avoid a ''creative crunch'' with investment in new talent drying up.

"It is now time for the government to be bold and to offer full and proper protection for the music and other content-producing industries in the UK," says according the former BBC director general Lord John Birt.

The call comes ahead of the publication, scheduled for June 16, of Lord Carter's final report on Digital Britain. Its proposals will include the setting up of a Rights Agency, backed by media regulator Ofcom, to unite the efforts of the ISPs and media owners in combating the illegal sharing of music, films and software.

Industry estimates suggest that six million people in the UK illegally share files regularly, with over a billion illegal music downloads and almost 100 million illegal film downloads in 2007 alone.

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