Downloaders beware! In a recent ruling, the Irish High Court approved a settlement allowing record companies to pass on the IP addresses of illegal file sharers to internet service provider (ISP) Eircom.
The decision sets a precedent in Irish law and could be just the beginning, with record companies already planning to pursue matters further with other ISPs in June.
It has been a disappointing couple of years for the Irish. The green dragon has had its wrists slapped by the EU for disobedience in the Lisbon Treaty vote and was further embarrassed by the utter mismanagement of the economic downturn.
And now, Ireland has decided to set itself apart from the rest of the international community, as the wet blanket of the World Wide Web.
Eircom, had originally planned to stand up for its customers and fight off the record company bullies who rather unfairly expect people to abide by the letter of the law and stop stealing from them.
Sadly, however, Eircom caved and agreed to a settlement, allowing the record companies to use software to detect copyright infringement and then hand the IP addresses over to Eircom.
The new rule is: ‘three strikes and you’re out,’ with the ISP agreeing to cut the connection of customers who continue to infringe on copyright after two warnings.
Illegal downloading is so common now that people feel entitled to take music, films and software for free, without a second thought. It seems unlikely, therefore, that Eircom will implement the ruling in a serious manner – if the firm expects to have any customers left, that is.
But a threat now hangs ominously over the heads of other ISPs in Ireland, who have been told to expect to face legal action in the summer if they fail to follow suit.
The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) sent letters to the various ISPs this week asking them to implement the court ruling and it may take further steps by blocking access to torrent-tracking site Pirate Bay and other similar websites.
Judge Peter Charleton said young people’s downloading habits had grown to such an extent “that a claim of entitlement seems to have arisen to have what is not theirs for free.”
The judge has a point. Talent, in whatever form, should be rewarded and although we have all done it, it is unfair for us to enjoy the fruits of an artist’s labor without paying for it.
That said, the record companies in this instance could try to soften the blow of the judgement by lowering the prices of their products.
And pigs might fly.
