Britain's Voluntary Copyright Alert Programme decriminalizes piracy, instead educates

[6souls]

Four warning letters, no further action taken

The British government has decriminalized online video game, music and movie piracy, scrapping fuller punishment plans after branding them unworkable.

Starting in 2015, persistent file-sharers will be sent four warning letters explaining their actions are illegal, but if the notes are ignored no further action will be taken.

The scheme, named the Voluntary Copyright Alert Programme (VCAP), is the result of years of talks between ISPs, British politicians and the movie and music industries.

The UK’s biggest providers – BT, TalkTalk, Virgin and Sky – have all signed up to VCAP, and smaller ISPs are expected to follow suit.

VCAP replaces planned anti-piracy measures that included cutting users’ internet connections and creating a database of file-sharers.

Geoff Taylor, chief executive of music trade body the BPI, said VCAP was about “persuading the persuadable, such as parents who do not know what is going on with their net connection.”

He added: “VCAP is not about denying access to the internet. It’s about changing attitudes and raising awareness so people can make the right choice.”

Officials will still work to close and stem funding to file-sharing sites, but the news appears to mean that the British authorities have abandoned legal enforcement of online media piracy.

Figures recently published by Ofcom said that nearly a quarter of all UK downloads were of pirated content.

http://www.vg247.com/2014/07/22/brit...e-game-piracy/
http://www.bpi.co.uk/home/uk-creativ...rtainment.aspx
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...internalSearch

People in the UK who persistently pirate music and movies will soon start getting emails warning them that their actions are illegal.

The warnings are part of a larger scheme that aims to educate people about copyright and legal ways to enjoy digital content.

Starting next year, up to four warnings annually will be sent to households suspected of copyright infringement.

But if people ignore the warnings, no further action will be taken.

The warning system is the result of four years' wrangling between internet service providers (ISPs) and industry bodies representing music and movie-makers.

The original enforcement regime was outlined in the Digital Economy Act 2010 and called for "technical measures" to be taken against persistent pirates, including the suspension of net access after a series of warnings.

In addition, rights holders wanted warning letters to mention the potential penalties people would face for copyright infringement and access to a database of known illegal file-sharers.

The years of talks brokered by the government have led to the creation of the Voluntary Copyright Alert Programme (Vcap) that uses warnings via email or post.

The UK's biggest ISPs - BT, TalkTalk, Virgin and Sky - have signed up to Vcap. Many smaller ISPs are expected to join later.

In addition, the UK government has pledged to contribute £3.5m to an education campaign that will promote legal ways to listen to music and watch movies.

Introducing the three-year educational scheme, Business Secretary Vince Cable said the initiative was all about supporting the UK's creative industries.

"It's a difficult industry to pin down and it's also difficult to protect," he said. "But unless you protect it then it's an industry that cannot function."

Government estimates suggest the UK's creative industries contribute £71bn to the UK economy and support about 1.68 million jobs.

Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the BPI, said it had been a "long road" to produce the Vcap agreement. He said that though it lacked punitive action it could still help bring about change in people's habits.

"It's about persuading the persuadable, such as parents who do not know what is going on with their net connection," he said.

"Vcap is not about denying access to the internet. It's about changing attitudes and raising awareness so people can make the right choice," he said.

As well as taking part in Vcap, the BPI and other rights holders were working on other fronts to tackle persistent pirates, file-sharing sites and to suppress the economy that supported them, said Mr Taylor.

These initiatives included issuing notices to Google about links to pirated content, action in the courts to shut down websites that offer links to infringing content, and working with advertisers to limit the funds that flow to file-sharing sites.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28374457
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/24

[Qalbert]

brb moving

[Meresgi]

Wow, what a bunch of communists.

[archibaldcrane]

I've been pirating shit for decades now (man that's weird to think) and have never received so much as an ISP letter. Is it really that common for others in the US?

[Qalbert]

I don't think it's particularly common (if you know what you're doing) but the disproportionate and exorbitant amounts they try to claim you would owe in the cases that have gone forward are worrisome, on the off chance you are one of the few who does get charged.

[archibaldcrane]

Didn't they stop doing that like 5 years ago though?

[Qalbert]

think so? tbh I'm not sure. lately the effort has definitely seemed to shift towards internet control vs just prosecuting individuals

[Killerme]

I'm not an expert on British law, but, generally, ending the criminal penalties for something does not necessarily end a plaintiff's right to bring a civil action for the same conduct. In other words, the government won't prosecute you, but you can still be sued and held liable by the copyright holder.

[The Stig]

Bleh I tried to make a reply but it didn't like one of the words so it won't let me post, but when I went back to modify it, the forum ate my reply

Basically, I asked, how exactly would they know? Logs? Traffic?

[Meresgi]

What the shit, I can't even say the word t0rr3nt?

Anyways, RIAA/MPAA have been known to upload their own to public trackers sometimes. And your ISP monitors the shit out of everything you do and can report it back if asked.

[hey]

Anyways, RIAA/MPAA have been known to upload their own to public trackers sometimes.

I kind of doubt that. I'm sure they just monitor existing to­rrents that others have uploaded.

and ahahhahahahhaahahahahhahahaahaha can't say torren­ts anymore what is this shit.

[6souls]

What the shit, I can't even say the word t0rr3nt?

A certain company, unrelated to those other two, sent us a C&D because of a post I made a couple years ago and their bot thought I was promoting illegal downloads of their game.