U.K. Govt. Backtracks, Reconsiders Disconnecting File-Swappers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 25, 2009 - 9:09am.

London - The U.K. government is once again considering disconnecting repeat file-swappers, after earlier discounting such a punishment as too harsh, according to published reports.

The government also said that a year-long trial period, where ISPs would test the effectiveness of threatening letters sent to suspected file-swappers, was "unacceptable... in a situation that calls for urgent action."

The new proposals run counter to the findings of the Digital Britain report released two months ago, which recommended trying out the warning letters, and proceeding to technical measures if piracy was not reduced by 70%.

They would also move the authority to disconnect file-swappers from telecom regulator Ofcom, to government ministers themselves.

The proposed changes seem to stem from intense lobbying by copyright holders, as, since the issuance of the Digital Britain report, "some stakeholders have argued strongly that none of those technical measures is powerful enough to have a significant deterrent effect on infringing behavior," the government said in a statement.

http://snipurl.com/r1232 (Times Online)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10317001-93.html