UK plc risks piracy fines over employee file-swapping

Record industry on the prowl

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Music and Media, 18th October 2002 22:10 GMT

Four in five UK companies have file swapping programmes in active use on their networks, leaving them at risk from fines as the recording industry cracking down on music piracy.

According to Packeteer, the network traffic management firm, many firms are unaware that employee file swapping could land them in legal hot water. Packeteer wants firms to buy its software, root out MP3-swapping action, and then ban it.

"UK companies should take this problem seriously as they risk getting their fingers burnt by a record industry that is resolutely trying to protect its revenues," admonishes Arnold Pijpers, EMEA Director at Packeteer.

"The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has already claimed damages of $1 million from a US company, Integrated Information Systems, after it was tipped off that the company had a large number of MP3 files on its server.

"The £1million battle between Stelios' EasyInternet Cafe and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), is further evidence that UK business needs to quickly address this problem," he adds. ®