Today's Music News

ISP refuses to police

Carphone Warehouse won't cut off pirates

04 April 2008 - Carphone Warehouse is the first UK internet provider to publicly reject the music industry's plans to crack down on customers who download music illegally.

The provider, which sells broadband through its Talk Talk division, called the proposals "unreasonable and unworkable".

A "three strikes" regime that would see those who consistently download pirated material disconnected from the internet has been proposed by Music trade body the BPI.

Virgin Media is currently in talks with the BPI to trial the scheme which will enable the service provider to trace illegal downloads to individual accounts and hand account numbers to the company.

But Carphone chief executive Charles Dunstone said: "We are the conduit that gives users access to the internet, we do not control the internet nor do we control what our users do on the internet.

"We believe that a fundamental part of our role...is to protect the rights of our users"
Charles Dunstone - Carphone Warehouse

“I cannot foresee any circumstances in which we would voluntarily disconnect a customer's account on the basis of a third party alleging a wrong doing.

"We believe that a fundamental part of our role as an internet service provider (ISP) is to protect the rights of our users to use the internet as they choose."

The Government has promised to implement legislation by April next year unless ISPs come to a voluntary agreement with the music and film industries but Carphone said it would "take every practical and legal step to defend its customers".

The BPI said: "We are categorically not asking ISPs to become internet police but rather act on information we provide to them.

“At heart of this issue is ensuring that creators are fairly rewarded in the digital age, and we passionately believe that working in partnership with ISPs to develop first class, safe, legal, digital music services is the way forward.

“But no successful partnership can be established with ISPs who refuse to do anything to address the problem of illegal downloading on their networks.”

Kelly Stooke

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Comments so far

Danny Craft , Whitby , North Yorkshire.
At last someone with power sticking up for our battered civil rights, Charles Dunston has my vote and soon my buisness!!

Derek, Potters Bar
Not so long ago the music industry sold more music than was copied so they didn't complain. Now that more music is being copied than is being sold they really do complain. If people were to suddenly stop recording,ripping,transferring music it would put thousands of people out of work and bankrupt many businesses.If the music industry sang the songs themselves then they could call the tune!

Paul Bryant, Bisley
The music and entertainment industry does not, and will never, own the Internet. They should be grateful that such an easy route to their market, and low-cost distribution newtork, exists for their products. Come to think of it, what value do they add to music?Internet Service Providers should absolutely not be policing the Internet - and certainly not on behalf of the music industry. ISPs only need to remember who the customer is - me who pays! (not the music industry that gets free acces to me through it)The Police should be policing the Internet. The fact that they don't just shows that they are lazy incompetent and work-shy. Only this week, they gave up their responsibilities towards stray dogs. Why was that? Too difficult?No wonder they can't get to grips with the Internet.

Sybil, London
Charles Dunstone is quite right about this. You can't screen who you sell a car too just in case they might use it as a get away car for a robbery. It's unrealistic to expect them to act in this way. Music is available freely on the internet - better to embrace it than fight a losing battle.

Karl, London
Stick it to the man

darren colchester
i think it's so bad that the ISP's might be forced to crack down on people. Why cant music industry sort it all themslbves