We told you in December the music industry would this year start to shift blame for piracy on to ISPs. As of today – and buoyed by recent similar French moves – the business is going after access providers in a big way. “Copyright theft has been allowed to run rampant on their networks under the guise of technological advancement,” writes John Kennedy, chair of the London-based IFPI global record label umbrella in its 2008 Digital Music report, out today.
“Some estimates say no less than 80 per cent of all internet traffic comprises copyright-infringing files on P2P networks. ISPs have largely stood by, allowing a massive devaluation of copyrighted music. This … has prompted a crisis in recorded music. There is only one acceptable moment for ISPs to start taking responsibility for protecting content