The International Federation Of The Phonographic Industry has welcomed a report by the Swedish government that recommends that internet service providers should take more responsibility for material distributed via their networks in violation of copyright. In the report, called 'Music And Film On The Internet - Threat or Opportunity?', Swedish Justice Department investigator Cecilia Renfors proposes a change in the country's laws so that ISPs would be obligated to terminate contracts of customers who persistently infringe copyright.
The report, which argues that mass piracy in Sweden is reducing the incentive to invest in legitimate online music and film services in the country, says: "It is proposed that the law be amended so that internet service providers can be ordered, under penalty of a fine, to take action such as terminating the contract of a subscriber to prevent continued infringement using the internet service provider's services".
As previously reported, the internet service providers have generally tried to distance themselves from taking responsibility for online copyright violation undertaken by their customers, often arguing privacy laws prevent them from monitoring customer web usage, or identifying people they suspect to be violating copyrights. The lack of clarity in the copyright laws that deal with this domain have invariably protected the ISPs from being forced into action, though some test cases, such as the previously reported recent case against internet service provider Scarlet in Belgium, have found in the content owners' favour, while in some countries, like in Sweden, politicians are making moves to better clarify the situation regarding ISP liability.
Welcoming the Swedish report, IFPI chief John Kennedy said yesterday: "This is a clear call for ISPs to take more responsibility in curbing copyright infringement on their networks, and it comes from a country that is on the very front line in the fight to protect music and films from internet piracy. We wholeheartedly endorse the recommendation and hope it will be taken very seriously in Sweden and further afield".