While P2P file sharing is on the increase, Google has reported that legitimate and lawful music services are doing very well in the UK. Google has found itself under pressure due to its linking to copyright infringing material however this report compiled last Monday with the PRS confirmed Google’s stance that blocking access rather than censoring was preferable.
The report, “The six business models for copyright infringement”, commented that ‘P2P community’ sites get as many as 2.1 million unique visitors a month from the UK, and had seen a 17 percent increase in page views in the 12 months running up to February 2012.
Google UK policy manager Theo Bertram was quoted as adding “The UK is becoming an attractive place for legitimate online content businesses………according to the BPI, digital music counted for 55.5 percent of record industry revenues in the first quarter of the year. Advertising-supported music services grew year on year by 23.6 percent to £86.5m…..paid-for subscription services are booming……their income almost doubled year-on-year to just under £9 million. ”
So whilst the record companies position is understandable and no doubt the battle will go on and on it also kills the myth that P2P is killing the music industry.
