The entertainment industry took aim at law-breaking European internet file-sharers on Thursday, with the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) announcing plans to sue hundreds of copyright infringers.
Millions of people worldwide use 鈥減eer-to-peer鈥� file-sharing networks to trade music, software and video, the majority of which is copyrighted. Using simple desktop software, users connect to a network and search millions of other hard drives for files that they can download directly.
By connecting to a network, industry enforcers can identify users, who can then be traced through their internet service provider (ISP). Represented by the Recording Industry Association of America, the world鈥檚 leading record companies have pursued US file-sharers in court since June 2003.
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European file-sharers have largely been spared legal aggravation so far. But the IFPI will sue 459 alleged copyright infringers in its first major European action. Labels argue such strong arm tactics are needed to halt infringement and protect legitimate sales.
No alternative
鈥淲e would be derelict in our duty to protect and promote British music were we not to take action,鈥� says Peter Jamieson, chairman of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). 鈥淲e believe we have no alternative other than to enforce our rights through the courts.鈥�
In the UK, 28 鈥渕ajor file-sharers鈥� and 鈥渓arge scale uploaders鈥� will be threatened with legal action as part of the IFPI campaign, with the option of settling out of court.
The BPI has sent hundreds of thousands of instant messages to UK-based file-sharers warning them against trading in copyrighted music. 鈥淭hese are not people casually downloading the odd track,鈥� Jamieson adds. 鈥淭hey are uploading music on a massive scale, effectively stealing the livelihoods of thousands of artists and the people who invest in them.鈥�
Other networks
It is far from clear how effective the US lawsuits have been, however. While the labels credit them for reducing piracy and encouraging people to use legitimate download services, opponents argue that they have only pushed file-sharing to less well-known networks.
鈥淭hey can never stop it completely,鈥� says Martin Keegan, director of the UK lobby group Campaign for Digital Rights. 鈥淭hey would need to change the architecture of the internet to achieve that.鈥�
Keegan told 快猫短视频 the best the industry can hope to do is make it too complicated for file-sharers to find what they want through illegitimate service.
Although each European country will be a unique case, Keegan says it should be easier to pursue file-sharers in the UK than in the US, because ISPs have less legal protection in the UK.
Internet file-sharing is also an issue of growing concern for the movie industry. Figures released in July 2004 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, based in Paris, suggest that file-sharers now share more video and software content than music.