Criticisms for the controversial Digital Economy Act are still piling in, with O2 accusing the newly created law of being a 'red herring'.
In an strongly-worded open letter, O2's head of Home and Broadband Felix Geyr slammed the new legal requirements for internet service providers to send warning letters, telling the music and film industries to 'wake up and smell the coffee'.
"O2 supports the important principle of protecting copyright but we believe the new legal requirements for internet service providers to send warning letters – and if they don't work take more serious action, including disconnecting customers – are a red herring," said Geyr's letter.
Profound changes
"The internet has brought about profound changes to the way we all live and work. New companies and industries have been created, and many long established companies have embraced the internet and are thriving in the new digital age.
"Others have found out the hard way what happens when you fail to move with the time," it continues.
"It may sound harsh but that's life in a market economy and that's what happens when a technology revolution takes place.
"Some people vainly try to prop up the old system – like the luddites who smashed up the mechanical looms during the industrial revolution – while others recognise that change is inevitable and adapt to a new model.
"The real solution to unlawful file sharing is not to send threatening letters or to cut people off from the internet. It is to come up with new products and services that give consumers the content they want, how they want it, and for a fair price.
"So our message to the music company and film industry lobbyists who have been campaigning so hard for this change in the law is simple: you've got what you wanted. Now wake up, smell the coffee, and start really focusing on giving customers what they want. "
Your comments (9) Click to add a new comment
scott.deagan
April 16th 2010
9. @1 - I agree fully - the biggest flaw in this piece of legislation is that the person who owns the WiFi connection is responsible for what others are using it for. As a concerned parent with 4 teenage children who use the household WiFi (and who have friends who also use it), I am very worried.
A (silly) hypothetical:
If a flatmate used your Internet connection to hack into a military computer and took control of a secret military robot and used that robot to kill someone, then it's not the Internet connection owner who is charged with murder by default, is it?
Instead, an investigation would be undertaken, and the perpetrator would be identified based on evidence gathered by the investigators.
Those who support the DEA (Digital Economy Act) will say that it's more akin to a parking ticket - a warden notices your car unlawfully parked and issues a ticket. I can't buy into the "parking ticket" analogy - here in the UK you know who can drive your car - only those who are insured to do so. You know it's not going to be your 14 year old, or any of your children's friends, or your husband's friends, or someone who has hacked into your network (remember the 20 million node botnets? Anyone?).
I'll tell you what I think alright - I think it's time to boycott the companies and politicians behind the Digital Economy Act:
http://bpiboycott.wordpress.com/
That's my two cents worth...
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tech89
April 14th 2010
8. The reason I download films is because the only way to see if I like a film is to watch it first, and if it's good then I buy the dvd.
If TV broadcasters were to show a much wider variety of film instead of the same films year in year out, I would be tempted to stop my downloading days.
With music it's simple, I like more music than I can afford so I turn to downloading illegally. And that won't change until the day I get some serious cash after my student days at uni.
Warning letters and cut off? Well, if my current ISP did that, I'd switch very soon after.
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annony
April 11th 2010
7. this is why I have o2 broadband; his is a company who wants what is fair for it's customers!
those in the media industry who really think that letter and fines and court action will stop the "sharing" (sharing is caring) are blind; stupid and arrogant
the ACTA treaty is a load of croc; and will not be passed without a fight from the UK population; if it is i'm leaving the UK for some far off backwards place which at that moment will seem like paradise
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rrwholloway
April 10th 2010
6. "So our message to the music company and film industry lobbyists who have been campaigning so hard for this change in the law is simple: you've got what you wanted. Now wake up, smell the coffee, and start really focusing on giving customers what they want. "
Pretty strong stuff. The thing is at the moment and Apple have realised this is that it is simply easier to get content online if you download it illegally. DRM hinders the user. Make it simple to use and hassle free and people will use it. The hardcore pirates will always pirate but the problem at the moment is that the industry still makes it difficult to use its own media, so people download it for free.
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vandea
April 10th 2010
5. This is a new industry being created - "piracy chasers". Imagine how much money is going to be made from suing people!
If you're disgusted at the Digital Economy Act and how it was enacted, wait until you see ACTA - the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (which has very little to do with counterfeiting, and everything to do with teenagers swapping music and films).
I for one am fed up with this thing they sell to us as a "democracy". I have chosen to protest by boycotting anything and everything belonging to or involved with the BPI:
http://www.bpiboycott.org.uk/
I'm also pushing for transparency in the way lobbying is conducted in the UK:
http://38degrees.org.uk/page/s/lobbytransp
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tb12
April 9th 2010
4. This Bill along with everything else being done to prevent filesharing just proves that musicians and directors don't care about more people viewing/ listening to and appreciating their work but about getting rich.
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grizzlybizzle
April 9th 2010
3. People who use the word 'simples' are committing a far more heinous crime than file sharers. Where's the law for reporting them?
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dvs
April 9th 2010
2. I think the biggest flaw in this bill is the fact that the person who pays the broadband is liable. This not only affects internet cafes but landlords, flatmates, parents etc. Just ridiculous.
The other problem is that because the industry has moved online so slowly, people are now used to having free material. I think it will take some time to change.
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twinpeaked
April 9th 2010
1. Whole heartedly agree,
Make me watch a couple of adverts whilst an album is downloading
Make Hulu available on this side of the pond, plus continue expanding UK VOD and catchup
-wow look at that, I'm on the right side of the law
simples
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