Ofcom Proposes Measures for Reducing Online Piracy

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LONDON: British media regulator Ofcom has proposed a new set of measures for dealing with copyright infringement that, if approved, would come into effect early 2011.

The draft code sets out how and when ISPs should notify a subscriber if an account is suspended because of copyright infringement. Fixed-line ISPs with more than 400,000 subscribers will be covered initially by the new code. As such, the seven largest ISPs—BT, Talk Talk, Virgin Media, Sky, Orange, O2 and Post Office—will be covered by the code from the outset. Ofcom will regularly review evidence of copyright infringement on other providers and will extend the scope of the code if needed.

Under the proposed rules, the ISPs will have to keep track of the number of notifications send to subscribers and maintain an anonymized list of serial offenders. Copyright holders can then request information on this list and pursue a court order to identify serial infringers and take legal action against them. Ofcom proposes a three-strikes rule—subs who receive three notifications within a 12-month period may be included on the list. An appeals mechanism will be put in place for consumers who maintain they have received incorrect notifications.

The consultation on Ofcom’s proposed code runs till July 30.