The boss of Walt Disney has weighed into the whole ISPs doing something about illegal file sharing debate by calling on the net firms to ban people who access illegal download content. His comments, at a media briefing in London, gives the campaign being pursued by the UK record companies global and entertainment-industry-wide support.
As much previously reported, the record companies stepped up their campaign to force internet service providers to take action against illegal file sharing earlier this year, buoyed by words of support from both the French and British governments. As a result of that campaigning, UK record label trade body the BPI announced in July an agreement with a number of UK net providers which has seen the ISPs send out warning letters to those customers which the music firms reckon are illegally uploading unlicensed music. Not net firm has, however, committed to the full proposal being made by the music industry - to cut off net users who ignore warnings and continue to share or access illegal content.
Disney CEO Bob Iger, whose company owns the US ABC TV network and hit TV shows like 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Lost', as well as all the Disney franchises, said this week that any licensing deal between content companies and ISPs (many of whom are keen to develop their own content distribution networks) should have taking action against file sharers as a prerequisite.
He said: "We are simply asking for people who are downloading illegal files to get a warning initially then to get their service cut off. That should be part of the agreement with these companies. We are not asking for information on who the customer is or to show up with law enforcement authorities. Most distribution businesses succeed because they have a distribution process in place. They also have product. We contribute to that mightily. It is a joint partnership. As part of that pact to give our product and make it available on their platform, we believe they should work with us to prevent people from stealing. It is in their best interests as well".