Bright Activity

Irrespective of warnings from internet service providers in the form of letters, more than half of illegal file sharers would continue with their file sharing activities without any fear or moral scruples. This is the verdict of a recent study preceding the final publication of Lord Carter’s Digital Britain report. The study is the outcome of the combined efforts of PaidContent:UK and media lawyers Wiggin.

The Digital Entertainment Survey found warning letters alone would not intimidate the habitual offenders found guilty of copyright violation. However, if they received, along with such warnings, a serious threat of broadband disconnection, then 80 per cent of them would stop illegal downloading instantly. This is a jump from the 70 per cent of respondents who said that they would cease and desist under similar conditions during the Digital Entertainment Survey conducted last year.

A logical explanation for this could be that respondents this year were asked to consider the possibility of a communication containing no clearly defined threat. Last year’s figure of 70 per cent can only be explained by an assumption by the respondents that the communication was a launch pad for further action. Undoubtedly, the government needs to take more goal-oriented and focused action if it wants to discourage file sharers.

Experts believe that forcing offenders to mend their ways by cutting off their broadband connection is hardly the solution. Last week, Charles Dunstone, the CEO of Carphone Warehouse told The Guardian newspaper that pirates will not yield so easily and if coerced or threatened, would try other sophisticated means to download copyrighted material so that their theft goes undetected. Click on Sky Broadband Review for provider reviews and news Sky and all the leading broadband service providers.