After a successful plea from the BPI, the high court of the United Kingdom has ordered six of its largest internet service providers to block the public from accessing 21 filesharing websites. This brings the total amount of websites blocked by the High Court on the ground of illegal filesharing to 25.
As I’m writing this blog post, I just took a deep sigh. Not out of anger towards the courts or the BPI, but more from a sense of frustration.
I understand where BPI and the courts are coming from; there are legitimate arguments as to why piracy and file sharing websites should be blocked. However, at the same point I can’t help but think that decisions like this are ultimately futile.
There are nearly endless alternatives to the 25 websites which have been blocked. Even if the courts are able to issue an order for the ISPs to block access to all websites which promote piracy this very minute, they will be welcomed with dozens of new alternatives available the next minute. This is of course, with the understanding that the courts somehow differentiate all of the websites which promote piracy from those with a legitimate excuse being used as a vehicle for piracy.
I’m not the first person to make this argument, or recognise that censoring the internet is not a valid alternative in fighting piracy, but I have to be slightly sympathetic with the music industry. Even with the implementation of valid alternatives piracy still remains a significant issue. It feels like the industry has recognised that it has to change, but it still hasn’t woken up to the fact that it has to change fast and on a more regular basis.
Source:
http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/uk-isps-forced-to-block-21-major-pirate-websites/056547
