[Commons-Law] UK court to unmask 'file-sharers' (BBC)
Via: TAHIR AMIN
UK court to unmask 'file-sharers'
Ten internet service providers have been ordered to
hand over the details of 150 UK customers accused of
illegally sharing software.
The High Court order follows a 12-month covert
investigation by the Federation Against Software Theft
(Fast).
Among the internet providers are BT, NTL, Telewest and
Tiscali.
Over the next two weeks, they are expected to provide
the names, addresses and other personal details of the
alleged file-sharers.
'First wave'
An undercover investigator working for Fast in a
project codenamed Operation Tracker identified 150
people suspected of illegally sharing software.
Most file-sharers use false names and e-mail
addresses. So the software anti-piracy group went to
the High Court to force the internet providers to hand
over customer details.
We expect to be bringing these actions anytime and
anywhere we see software being misused
Julian Heathcote Hobbins, Fast legal counsel
The federation said it would approach the police and
Crown Prosecution Service once it has the personal
information.
"We can easily take down links, but this does not
tackle the root causes of software piracy, because the
links will reappear elsewhere in a matter of hours,"
said John Lovelock, director general at Fast.
"Instead, we plan to take action a lot further, making
an example of the perpetrators to stop them from
stealing and passing on the intellectual property of
our members for good."
The federation accuses the 150 individuals of breaking
copyright law by uploading software and sharing it
online.
Penalties for the illegal communication to the public
of copyrighted works, including software, can attract
a maximum punishment of up to two years imprisonment
and/or an unlimited fine.
Julian Heathcote Hobbins, Fast's senior legal counsel,
said the court action was "only the first wave of an
ongoing strategy".
"We expect to be bringing these actions anytime and
anywhere we see software being misused," he said.
According to the anti-piracy trade group, the Business
Software Alliance, about a quarter of software used in
the UK is an unlicensed, counterfeit or pirated copy.
UK court to unmask 'file-sharers'
Ten internet service providers have been ordered to
hand over the details of 150 UK customers accused of
illegally sharing software.
The High Court order follows a 12-month covert
investigation by the Federation Against Software Theft
(Fast).
Among the internet providers are BT, NTL, Telewest and
Tiscali.
Over the next two weeks, they are expected to provide
the names, addresses and other personal details of the
alleged file-sharers.
'First wave'
An undercover investigator working for Fast in a
project codenamed Operation Tracker identified 150
people suspected of illegally sharing software.
Most file-sharers use false names and e-mail
addresses. So the software anti-piracy group went to
the High Court to force the internet providers to hand
over customer details.
We expect to be bringing these actions anytime and
anywhere we see software being misused
Julian Heathcote Hobbins, Fast legal counsel
The federation said it would approach the police and
Crown Prosecution Service once it has the personal
information.
"We can easily take down links, but this does not
tackle the root causes of software piracy, because the
links will reappear elsewhere in a matter of hours,"
said John Lovelock, director general at Fast.
"Instead, we plan to take action a lot further, making
an example of the perpetrators to stop them from
stealing and passing on the intellectual property of
our members for good."
The federation accuses the 150 individuals of breaking
copyright law by uploading software and sharing it
online.
Penalties for the illegal communication to the public
of copyrighted works, including software, can attract
a maximum punishment of up to two years imprisonment
and/or an unlimited fine.
Julian Heathcote Hobbins, Fast's senior legal counsel,
said the court action was "only the first wave of an
ongoing strategy".
"We expect to be bringing these actions anytime and
anywhere we see software being misused," he said.
According to the anti-piracy trade group, the Business
Software Alliance, about a quarter of software used in
the UK is an unlicensed, counterfeit or pirated copy.
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