Call to 'disconnect file-sharers' 英呼吁“断绝文件共享”

Persistent¹ illegal file-sharers should be cut off from the net, an alliance of UK creative industries will tell the government on Tuesday.

英国创新工业联盟周二建议政府，不合法的网上共享应该被禁止。

ISPs could soon be asked to monitor the online activities of their users

The alliance wants the government to force internet service providers (ISPs) to disconnect users who ignore repeated warnings about sharing illegal content.

John Woodward, head of the UK Film Council, said illegal file-sharing was hurting film-making and risking jobs.

The coalition²（结合，合并） says more than 50% of net traffic in the UK is illegal content.

Mr Woodward said: "The growing threat of illegal P2P (peer to peer) file-sharing threatens [the creative industries], as films go unmade（消失）, DVD sales deteriorate³（恶化） and jobs are lost in production and distribution of content."

Eight creative bodies and five trade unions have signed a joint⁴ statement asking the government to force ISPs into banning users caught sharing illegally. It marks a significant hardening of their stance on the role of ISPs, which in the past has focused on education and awareness⁵.

The creative industries, including the British Phonographic Industry and the Federation⁶ Against Copyright Theft, have issued a set of "urgent recommendations" that they want to be included in the government's Digital Britain manifesto（宣言，声明）.

They argue that many jobs in the 800,000-strong sectors⁷ of film, TV, music, and software are threatened by illegal file-sharing.

Last year, the UK government told ISPs to take concrete steps to curb⁸（抑制，束缚） illegal downloads or face legal sanctions, but shied away from legislation that would force ISPs to ban repeat offenders⁹.

No-one from the Internet Service Providers Association was available for comment on the alliance's statement.

More than a billion songs were shared illegally online in 2007

Content gatekeepers

Earlier this year, the UK's Intellectual Property minister, David Lammy, said: "We can't have a system where we're talking about arresting teenagers in their bedrooms."

The government has set a target of reducing illegal file-sharing by 70 to 80% within two to three years.

ISPs have long resisted becoming "gatekeepers of content" and have pointed¹⁰ out that any change to their role would require a change in UK legislation, which currently classifies them as mere¹¹ "conduits（导管，水管）" of data.

Last year, some of the UK's biggest internet providers signed up to a voluntary scheme that saw letters sent out to thousands of users suspected of illegally sharing music.

The European Union has also signalled its interest in the debate, with MEPs saying users need to have better protection from being disconnected. MEPs stressed the need for a ruling from a court before a user's connection was cut.

The alliance warned that illegal file-sharing could have a devastating¹² impact on creativity and the British economy, if it goes unchecked.