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Carphone Warehouse's Dunstone will not play 'internet police'
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 05:23:22 -0700
________________________________________ From: Brian Randell [Brian.Randell () ncl ac uk] Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 6:44 AM To: David Farber Subject: Carphone Warehouse's Dunstone will not play 'internet police' Hi Dave: For IP, if you wish - from today's (London) Times newspaper http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article3680998.ece
Carphone Warehouse's Dunstone will not play 'internet police' Charles Dunstone, chief executive of Carphone Warehouse Dan Sabbagh, Media Editor Charles Dunstone, the chief executive of Carphone Warehouse, has said that he would refuse to disconnect internet users caught illegally downloading copyright music and other items. The Government is trying to persuade internet service providers to reach agreement with the BPI, the body that represents the music industry, to agree a 'three strikes and out' policy where people caught breaching copyright will have their connection cut after the third transgression. However, the proposal is controversial because it requires internet providers to monitor what their customers do, to discover if they are engaged in any illegal downloading. Carphone operates the Talk Talk service, Britain's third biggest internet service provider, and in a statement Mr Dunstone's company said: "Talk Talk rejects music industry threats and refuses to become internet police". It said the proposal would "impinge on customers rights" and "restrict freedom to use the internet". In response, the BPI said that Carphone was either seeking " to misrepresent our position, or just doesn't get it". It said it wanted internet providers to act on information that is provided to them, and said it "firmly believe in an internet where property rights are respected, and creativity is fairly rewarded". Other internet providers, notably Virgin Media, have appeared more willing to co-operate. But without the support of all major providers it is hard to see how the proposal can go ahead, unless the Government makes good on a threat to legislate if the industry cannot agree.
cheers Brian -- School of Computing Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK EMAIL = Brian.Randell () ncl ac uk PHONE = +44 191 222 7923 FAX = +44 191 222 8232 URL = http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/people/brian.randell ------------------------------------------- Archives: http://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now RSS Feed: http://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
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- Carphone Warehouse's Dunstone will not play 'internet police' David Farber (Apr 04)