Well, I'm paraphrasing slightly. But given that the music business was a bit disappointed with the proposals in the government's 'Digital Britain' report regarding forcing the internet service providers to take a more proactive role in policing online piracy, I think it goes without saying that the ISP sector was quite happy with what Communications Minister Stephen Carter has proposed regarding tackling file-sharing. Which is, in case you've already forgotten, more warning letters and civil lawsuits against persistent file-sharers, and then some lacklustre "technical restrictions" on the net connections of infringers if that doesn't work. The ISPs reckon record companies suing their customers is a far better idea than them having do something about the copyright infringement their customers undertake.
The net sector's trade body, the Internet Service Provider Association, told reporters yesterday: "ISPA is pleased that the government has ruled out legislating to force internet companies to disconnect persistent users of illicit P2P file sharing; a response that ISPA believes would be a disproportionate sanction against users. This is a view that is also held by consumer groups in the UK and further endorsed by the European Parliament and a judgement in the Constitutional Council in France". That latter remark is actually a fundamentally incorrect interpretation of what France's Constitutional Council said, but hey, these guys represent the internet, so who cares about accuracy?
The trade body's top man, Nicholad Lansman, added: "I am pleased that the government has taken the position advocated by ISPA that unlawful online copyright infringement should be reduced through offering viable legal alternatives. ISPA will assess in more detail the obligations on ISPs being proposed, but supports the use of existing legal channels to bring targeted civil action against repeat infringers. ISPA doubts the effectiveness of technical sanctions and would urge that the initial proposals be given every chance to succeed before such sanctions are considered".
While I also doubt the effectiveness of technical sanctions, or even the all out suspension or disconnection of the internet access for persistent file-shares, I do know that "the use of existing legal channels to bring targeted civil action against repeat infringers" doesn't and never will work. But if Lansman wants his customers to be dragged through the courts, well, now, for the first time, I'm starting to warm to the idea of label's pursuing P2P lawsuits against individual music fans. Providing the legal letters start "Oh hello there, your ISP asked us if we'd mind suing you".