~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~42~RS~)
Pirate Bay block effectiveness short-lived, data suggests
Blocking The Pirate Bay was "ineffective", critics said
A drop in file-sharing following a court ordered block of the Pirate Bay was short-lived, data seen by the BBC suggests.
A major UK internet service provider (ISP) said peer-to-peer (P2P) activity on its network returned to just below normal only a week after the measures were enforced earlier this year.
Critics had warned the ban would prove ineffective.
But the BPI, the music industry trade body, has defended the action.
Its chief executive Geoff Taylor told the BBC the group would continue to pursue similar action in future.
"We'll take further steps to deal with illegal sites that line their pockets by ripping off everyone who makes the music we enjoy."
The ISP - which shared the data with the BBC on condition of anonymity - said P2P traffic had peaked in the days court proceedings were taking place, largely due to increased media coverage.
Immediately after the ban was enforced on its network, the ISP said P2P activity had dropped by over 11% compared to average levels.
"We saw a fall at the time of the block," the source said, "made more dramatic by the increasing amount of such traffic in the weeks leading up to it.
"But volumes are already pretty much back to where they were before."
'Whack-a-mole'The firm stressed that the figures related to the volume of P2P traffic, not necessarily the number of users.
This made it possible, it said, that "hardcore" file-sharers might have become more prolific since the ban while casual users have been discouraged.
“Start Quote
End Quote Geoff Taylor BPIWe recognise there is more to do to reduce illegal P2P use overall”
In addition, the data is not able to distinguish precisely what material is downloaded and from where - meaning users may be using sites other than The Pirate Bay to access files.
However Loz Kaye, leader of the Pirate Party UK which has campaigned against the ban, said a renewal in sharing of copyrighted files was "inevitable".
"We've always said that blocking is an ineffective method," he told the BBC.
"It's not in any way productive. Anyone who knows anything about how the internet works can get around it."
His party has set up a proxy server to allow users to still access The Pirate Bay, even if it has been blocked by their provider.
'More to do'April's court decision has meant six of the UK's major ISPs have been forced to block the site. It followed a similar case in 2011 involving Newzbin 2, another file-sharing service.
The BPI, which represents rights holders in the UK, obtained the most recent court order on the grounds that The Pirate Bay "infringes copyright on a massive scale".
In response to the new data, it argued that the measures had been effective - but admitted that more work was required.
"The goal of our action was to reduce UK use of The Pirate Bay, which was causing particular harm to British musicians and labels," Mr Taylor said.
"Before the court case, the site was one of the top 50 most popular sites in the UK. Today it has fallen to number 282.
"We recognise there is more to do to reduce illegal P2P use overall."
Yahoo to buy Tumblr for $1.1bn
Dozens die in Iraqi car bomb attacks
Foot loose
Afrikaner agony
America's Latino future
Hoops and dreams
HARDtalk
Comment number 462.
bunford16th July 2012 - 16:35
If industry worked with filesharing sites to create a network of global audience with items at affordable price for all society, it would ultimately render piracy sites useless, or heavily minimise the use of them.
If the industry wants to look after it's future, it needs to stop obsessing over it's profit base line and work with modern society to understand it rather than throw the law at it.
Link to this (Comment number 462)
Comment number 455.
bunford16th July 2012 - 16:25
This is down to consumer choices vs industry greed. In past industry has charged what it likes, making billions in profit as consumers never really had alternatives. The industry had a monopoly. Over past 15 years the power has shifted and industry is rumbled, failing the creativity to move with times.
At no point has industry/Govt engaged with pirates constructively for research/way forward.
Link to this (Comment number 455)
Comment number 435.
NeilS16th July 2012 - 15:59
Whatever people think a fair price is for a DVD or CD, many seem to forget that it's not just the stars that are making a living out of it. A friend of mine works for a company that maintains film camaras for TV and films. Due to lost revenue many of his colleagues been made redundant, while you watch your pirated film I hope you think of the little people that you affect as well as the famous.
Link to this (Comment number 435)
Comment number 128.
hellblazer16th July 2012 - 11:04
The entertainment industry claims piracy is at its peak, so why have their profits never been higher? Years ago we gave DVD's and CD's free to friends to borrow. File sharing over the internet is the same as this, it's just been made increasing easier by the internet. Does that mean you should censor? Absolutely not. You start down a very slippery slope because it will be majorly abused.
Link to this (Comment number 128)
Comment number 115.
Walwyn16th July 2012 - 10:53
The over all sense of entitlement from some of the posters here is breathtaking. There is no right to obtain some video on day X rather than day X+N, there is no compulsion to buy different versions of box sets from year to year. That you dislike the price is no reason to steal.
The European Declaration on Human Rights says that people have a right to be paid for their creative endeavours,
Link to this (Comment number 115)
Comments 5 of 10