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Virgin Media To Spy On & Threaten Downloaders

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the good-luck-changing-isps dept.

Mike writes "Virgin Media, the UK's largest cable-modem provider, has decided that it will spy on its users to protect record industry profits. Starting next week Virgin Media will send letters to thousands of households where they suspect music is either being downloaded or illegally shared. The campaign is a joint venture between Virgin Media and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which represents the major record labels. The BPI ultimately wants Internet companies to implement a 'three strikes and out' rule to warn and ultimately disconnect the estimated 6.5 million customers whose accounts are (supposedly) used for regular criminal activity. In other words, you download a few songs and they'll come along and cut off the one wire that delivers freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly."

2 of 349 comments (clear)

  1. Sheesh by alexborges · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Monopoly Leveraging Bi0tch3s From Outer Sussex

    Its a monopoly from hell. Its like if Sony owned MaBell (and she still existed).

    Virgin: youre just a bunch of oligopolistic freaking fucks.

    --
    NO SIG
  2. More of the same. by Odder · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Implying that we're all getting shipped off to the Gulag for using Azureus: Sensationalist

    Ask someone in China behind the Golden Shield. If we build the same mechanisms and have similar laws, we will see the same abuse. Others have made the case very well without knowledge of internet press issues. You are not looking at the usual opinions of left wing radicals, you are looking at the whole spectrum of thoughtful society that's shocked and outraged. From WSJ reporters to Naval Academy graduates and Admirals. Fundamental rights and laws are being raped. The nubjobs doing it will cost us all dearly.

    Deliberately confusing copyright with freedom of speech and trying to make a point that it should be eliminated because you don't like it, when the problem is really in the enforcement: Disingenuous.

    The only confusion here is yours. Tell me how Virgin cutting me off is not a violation of free speech. What happens if every ISP honors RIAA blacklists? As more and more business is conducted on line, getting kicked offline will be more and more like stealing everything they have and throwing them onto the street.

    I'll grant you that the problem is enforcement. Society should not waste it's time and money on copyright enforcement and that enforcement should never violate natural rights. Society should not trade it's freedom for entertainment. Free press is more important than all the games, movies and music owned by big publishers and other unfriendly assholes who think they are owed your home for sharing a few dozen songs.

    the vast majority of it [P2P] revolves around copyright infringement

    Irrelevant bullshit.

    Someone who's writing looks exactly like the industry talking points laboriously repeated here should not be talking about sockpuppets.