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Digital Top Stories
US groups call on Google and Verizon to help police piracy
By CMU Editorial | Published on Friday 20 August 2010
Following a joint announcement last week from Google and US ISP Verizon regarding so called net neutrality, in which the two companies announced a joint commitment to ensure that all net users will always “have access to all legal content on the internet” (ie so smaller online publishers won’t be disadvantaged in favour of the bigger service providers), a consortium of American music business types have called on the two web giants to add cracking down on piracy to their joint mission.
The Recording Industry Association Of America, indie labels body A2IM and collecting societies BMI, ASCAP and SESAC are among the signatories to an open letter to Google top man Eric Schmidt. They focus on the “legal” bit of Google and Verizon’s commitment, and argue that the flip side of that commitment is that ISPs should help in the crack down on the distribution of illegal (ie copyright infringing) content on the internet. The US music industry is busy lobbying the ISP sector there to take a more proactive role in policing piracy though, as in Europe, the net firms are not exactly embracing such a role.
The letter reads as follows (complete with American spellings of some words, for added authenticity):
Dear Mr Schmidt:
We write to you on behalf of the broad and diverse music community represented by our organizations. We read about your recent joint policy proposal for an open internet and commend you and Verizon for advancing the public conversation on this important issue.
The music community we represent believes it is vital that any internet policy initiative permit and encourage ISPs and other intermediaries to take measures to deter unlawful activity such as copyright infringement and child pornography. The principle of distinguishing lawful from unlawful activity has become a firmly established tenet of broadband policy – articulated clearly by FCC Chairs Powell, Martin and Genachowski, leading Members of Congress from both parties, and industry executives. It is also contained in the standard user policies of many legitimate businesses that operate online.
We all share the goal of a robust internet that is highly accessible, secure and safe for individuals and commerce. An internet predicated on order, rather than chaos, facilitates achievement of this goal.
As you well know, music is a powerful driver of broadband adoption and related applications. So, too, the internet has become a crucial part of the music discovery process and a central platform for commerce. The number and range of music services is exploding. Our ability to invest in and create the next generation of music is grounded on crafting Internet policies and procedures that respect intellectual property.
Accordingly, we are deeply interested in the details of your proposal as they may relate to the protection of content and to making sure that the distinction between lawful and unlawful activity has operational meaning.
The current legal and regulatory regime is not working for America’s creators. Our businesses are being undermined, as are the dreams and careers of songwriters, artists, musicians, studio technicians, and other professionals. That’s why we look forward to working with you, other stakeholders, the FCC and the Congress to make the distinction between lawful and unlawful relevant in the marketplace so that the internet fulfills its promise for consumers, subscribers, providers, creators and business.
Google and Verizon are yet to respond.
