The Performing Rights Society (PRS) For Music has released proposals under which search engines will highlight sites that offer illegal content.
Basically if a website offers legal downloads then search results will be highlighted green and if the website offers illegal downloads then search results will be highlighted red.
The idea behind this ‘traffic light’ proposal is that it educates the public as to the legality of what they are downloading.
According to Robert Ashcroft of PRS For Music:
“There is evidence out there that if you help people go in the right direction many of them will do,”
He went on to say:
“We’re concerned about piracy, there are many things we can do about it, but we should start by telling people what is licensed and what is not licensed… We’re not trying to stop people, this isn’t a legal action, this isn’t site blocking.”
The highlighted section above is (in my view) a breath of fresh air in the ‘fight against pirates’ (which always conjures up images of bearded men with eye patches, parrots perched atop of shoulder wielding a cutlass – the pirate not the parrot). It would be a positive step forward for the music industry to take such a creative step in tackling the problem whilst also keeping the consumer on side.
Robert Ashcroft continued:
“This is an information to consumers and I think that many people want to do the right thing… I say watch this space – I would like to see something happen before the end
of the year,”
Q: What do you think? should the ‘traffic light’ proposal be given a red or green light? if it is given the green light will it be effective?
