Broadband News

TalkTalk: 'Piracy law infringes human rights'

Monday, 23 November 2009

Seamour Rathore seamour@consumerchoices.co.uk

TalkTalk (www.Talktalk.co.uk) says content providers should make legal music and film downloads cheaper and easier to access, instead of cutting people's internet access.

The UK’s second biggest internet service provider, TalkTalk Broadband (www.Talktalk.co.uk), says the government’s plans to punish people suspected of illegal downloading are an assault on human rights.

The government wants to force internet service providers to cut the internet connection of those who are thought to be downloading content illegally.

Charles Dunstone, ceo of TalkTalk’s parent company Carphone Warehouse, said: “It doesn’t matter how many websites are blocked, how many services are shut down or how many individuals are pursued, people will always find ways to access copyrighted content for free.”

The legislation was suggested in the Digital Economy Bill, published last Friday. But as Dunstone added, it is almost impossible to be sure if people are innocent or guilty, especially as innocent people can have their internet connections hi-jacked.

Dunstone added: “There is an army of Robin Hoods out there developing tools which allow completely undetectable access to content. No amount of monitoring can spot it. Shut one service down and 20 will pop up in its place - the most persistent offenders will remain undetected.”

TalkTalk has promised pledgd the following to its customers:

• Unless we are served with a court order we will not surrender your details to rightsholders.
• We will continue to fight this draconian legislation as it makes its way through Parliament
• If we are instructed to disconnect customers due to alleged copyright infringement, we will refuse to do so and tell the rightsholders we’ll see them in court.

Michael Phillips, product director at Broadbandchoices.co.uk, said: “TalkTalk is the only broadband provider prepared to be so vocal about the government’s piracy plans. The plans, as they stand, are unworkable, and as innocent people could find themselves cut off from the internet, it is legislation that needs a radical re-think.”

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