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Wed, 28 Oct 2009 Lord Mandelson threatens to cut off illegal downloaders from 2011

First Secretary of State sets date for blocking filesharers' internet connections

Carrie-Ann Skinner PC Advisor

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First Secretary of State Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, has warned Internet users face being cut off from the summer of 2011 if they continue to download and share copyrighted material such films, music and software.

The Business Secretary, who has been charged with ironing out the UK's plans to tackle Internet piracy, revealed that disconnecting repeat offenders will be a last resort.

Mandelson told the government's Digital Creative Industries Conference that the "consequence-free" days of illegal file-sharing are over, and that a "legislate and enforce" strategy had been identified as the best way to tackle the problem.

"Three strikes is a reasonable way of describing our approach," he said.

The legislation, which will see those caught illegally downloading sent warning letters, will be officially set out in the Digital Economy Bill that is expected next month and will come into force in April 2010.

"Technical measures will be a last resort and I have no expectation of mass suspensions resulting."

Repeat offenders will be issued with a second letter. If this fails to stop them illegally downloading, they will be put on a "serious infringers list", with ISPs expected to "exercise technical measures".

Mandelson also said that Ofcom will monitor the success of the warning letters in the first year and if illegal file-sharing has not reduced by 70 per cent then suspending net connections will be brought into force.

"The threat for persistent individuals is, and has to be, real, or no effective deterrent to breaking the law will be in place," he added.

Mandelson also said a "proper route of appeal" would be available for those suspended from the web. Once notified of possible suspension, offenders will be given 20 working days to appeal to an independent body, although Ofcom has yet to appoint the body. Mandelson said the suspension would not come into force until the appeal has been heard.

He also said ISPs and rights-holders will "share the costs, on the basis of a flat fee that will allow both sides to budget and plan".

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Comments received


drew said on Wed, 28 Oct 2009

So what is stopping anyone using one of the many open wifi networks to do illegal downloading?
How exactly will they monitor when technology has so many ways to circumvent the traffic sniffing, eg encryption, MAC spoofing, anonymising access.

In principle it is great to stop all the UK from stealing content, but the actual practice will catch only the people who aren't able (or smart enough) to find ways around the system. The public will pay increased fee's to ISP's and the content providers are also required to pay too.

The content providers would be better off finding a convenient way to let people access the content without branding people criminals. iTunes works really well at encouraging legal purchasing for music, but the DRM on movies has the opposite effect. Why would I buy episodes of TV series that I can't view on my TV unless I buy an Apple TV?

darwin said on Wed, 28 Oct 2009

What could possibly go wrong?

Elliot Richards said on Wed, 28 Oct 2009

Heaven forbid someone hacking Lord Mandelson's wifi access point and doing a bit of illegal filesharing, then putting him through the wringer.

dumbledore said on Wed, 28 Oct 2009

where does this leave people who get TV off the web that's not broadcast in the UK?

anonymous coward on someone else's wifi said on Wed, 28 Oct 2009

Bye bye Mandy! You won't be in power then. I'm sure you'll still be having dinner with David Gefen though.

enfield99 said on Wed, 28 Oct 2009

urgent information

24 MACMAN said on Thu, 29 Oct 2009

hoohoohoohoohoohoo...after lots of new ministers jobs and expenses paid for by us,they will probably only catch themselves as practically everything on the web is copyrighted.classic stuff. hoohoohoohoohoo,time for a song! " Oh Mandy...etc"

James said on Thu, 29 Oct 2009

I agree with dumbledore - they need to broadcast more content in the UK. Yes they have got shows like bones and house etc only a few weeks behind the USA but there are lots of other shows that are 6 months behind in the UK. Take True Blood for example they are on season 2 in america. people will DL because they dont want to wait!

Peter said on Thu, 29 Oct 2009

Oh thank goodness for that. I thought it was gonna come into force sooner than that. I'll have left the country by then. AH HAH!

CB said on Sat, 31 Oct 2009

Hopefully it will be make people think before they download, there will always be the hardcore who choose to do it anyway, but hopefully it will become less socially acceptable, much like drink driving over the last 20 years.

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