UK's Three-Strikes Rule Against Piracy
Feb 12, 2008
According to U.K. newspaper The Times, the British government plans to consider new copyright enforcement legislation that includes a tough "three-strikes" rule not unlike the one France is considering.
The proposal, which will reportedly be made available next week, would legally require Internet service providers (ISPs) to police file-sharing and take action against customers who download unauthorized material. First-time offenders would receive a warning, which would be followed by suspension and termination of their Internet account if they're caught again.
While the government hasn't officially commented on The Times' leak of its plans, the possibility of such a scheme has already raised hackles among digital rights and privacy advocates in the U.K. and elsewhere. A spokesman for an organization representing ISPs also spoke out against the idea, telling The Times that "self-regulation is much the better option in these areas." There are attempts underway to strike a voluntary agreement between Net providers and the content industry, but the stage already seems to be set for a bigger debate.
For more info, check out the TimesOnline article.
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