So how do they propose that works then - we close their account, they go to another ISP who then closes their account etc. - by the time they've worked their way round every ISP we'll have forgotten all about them, unless they're stupid enough to provide exactly the same details again.

quote of the year.

Just what I want - my ISP or BPI telling me how to behave.

How I'd love to be a fly on the wall at one of these ISP<>BPI meets!

Does the BPI saying its an honour to be branded as a villan increase record sales?

"out of touch", "hello Mr Pot, Mr Kettle here".

Yeah, because the current Internet doesn't reward creativity, right? You only find creativity in places like Teevee and movies. Oh, no, wait, those are formulaic in the extreme for the most part.

And yet, on this Internet that doesn't reward creativity, we have people collaborating to make 3D movies and we have people becoming famous and being significantly financially rewarded through youtube (e.g. ask a ninja).

Then we have the people carving out their fame with new ways to put people in touch with each other, great uses of GIS technology and lord only knows how many other things.

And that's before we look at the people who build the opensource tools that in many cases make the Internet work (apache, bind, exim, etc.), all putting their creative and technical brilliance out for all to see.

But yeah, let's pass laws that allow some coke snorting record exec to have my connection interrupted and interfered with for my CentOS and Ubuntu seeds.

How on earth does David Cameron think that buddying up with these maroons will make him more popular with the yoof of today?

British ( and International ) music is doing rather well inspite of 'digital freeloading'.

The British record industry ( the BPI's paymasters ) are not doing so well.

just in case EMI and co haven't noticed:

Musicians do not need record companies.

What do record companies produce without musicians ?

is analogue freeloading OK ?

and where can I download a freeload client :)

Yet another example of the word 'encourage' being used in place of 'force'; eg

"The Smoking Ban has encouraged people to not smoke in pubs"

"The policeman used his baton to encourage the offender to lie on the ground"

And since when can you encourage someone NOT to do something? I thought the term was 'discourage'?

can we now take a heavy handed approach to saving music from the following:

1) Reality TV "Talent" shows

2) backwards looking music industry execs who think the future is scary

3) The RIAA

4) The Spice Girls.

"Yeah, because the current Internet doesn't reward creativity, right? "

Not unless your called "Google".

Next, please.

The down side of this is that the ISPs are stuck between the Media Morons and the Idiots In Power who are being led by the nose by the MMs.

Unfortunately the 'get the pirates' gang will never listen to reason because the MMs are dinosaurs and the IIPs are totally clueless. The MMs have money and time to put pressure on the IIPs. The ISPs don't stand a chance, no matter how reasonable their argument may be.

Net Neutrality is about to get the first nail in its coffin. This will be the start of a flood of 'well justified' restrictions and invasions of privacy.

1984 here we come.

" talking to their members about what we can do together "

What a bunch of specious bullshit. This isn't any kind of two-way conversation or collaborative effort - he is simply threatening their members in an attempt to extort rent. Screw him and the horse he rode in on.

"if seeking a progressive agenda with their members makes me a villain "

No, you dipshit, it's seeking to coerce them into acting as an unpaid vigiliante mob / kangaroo court without any kind of due process or legal proprieties that makes you a villain.

" Government has repeatedly made clear that ISPs must get serious and reach agreements with rightholders, not just keep dragging their heels. "

What a repugnantly disgusting specious attempt to disavow responsibility for a policy which was only ever instigated at your behest and on your behalf and in response to your continuous lobbying and lying. Way to try and rewrite history.

Can't this bastard dipshit jerkwad fuckhead get through even a single sentence without some form of major dishonesty?

*grrrrrrrrrr* <foams at mouth>

entertainment would be limited to things like this. http://download.theforce.net/theater/batman-deadend/batman_dead_end_full_screen.mpg

Hold on a moment, that's better than most of the multi-million budget crap the film and record industry have pumped out recently.

"...rewards creativity and investment... ISPs must get serious and reach agreements with rightholders..."

Let's be honest here, Mr. BPI. You don't give a flaming rat's arse about creativity; the only creativity involved in music distirbution is "creative accounting, and shall we see if Inland Revenue is interested in looking into that?

The creative people are the musicians and production crews, none of whom are rewarded very well by BPI. The "rightsholders" (they were called "the nobility" a few centuries ago, when serfs were kept working the land by threat of physical force, rather than economic coercion) have a huge investment in maintaining the status quo (which, in fact, ceased to exist nearly a decade ago, when direct digital distribution became possible).

And that's the *ONLY* thing that BPI wants to see rewarded

that he'll come here, read all your comments and genuinely believe you're all complimenting him! I'd love to meet this deluded sot; he'd be excellent stress relief. I could scream a stream of deafening invective in his face and he'd only smile and thank me for it!

Yes, can I take two of him please: one for the office and one for home?

Book publishers and authors should follow the BPIs exaple and lobby hard for:-

1a. Levy on every sheet of paper sold as someone may write copyrighted words on it.

1b. Levy on all pens and pencils sold as there are very few legitimate users of these devices and they are most commonly used by "word sharers".

1c. All word processing software to be licensed. Posession of an unlicesed word processor by a "word sharer" should result in imprisionment.

2. Compulsary DRM on all photo copiers (Some technical details to be resolved but we at Invoiceture Consulting have a solution.)

3. Copyright on written word should be extended until the extintion of the authors species.

4. Closing of public libraries. Notorious as gathering places for hard core word sharers.

Only in this way will legitimate authors and scribes be able to protect thier works from evil "word sharers" who use the profits from thier illegal activities to finance drug deals and terrorism.

Oh well after seeing a recent interview from the new comptroller of the investment and pension fund running EMI who just sacked one in three employees in the Netherlands pressing plant , I can see why they are so full of it and are a bunch of greedy clueless planks who have no idea how to own let alone operate and entertainment industry !

I would guesstimate that EMI as it stands will be stripped of all cash assets including unpaid artists royalty funds and thus become virtually dead in the water within less eighteen months as when the artists contract expire they will not renew and abandon the sinking ship ! It was noted that EMI tried to sell themselves to the big three SONY-BMG , Warner Music and Vivendi , but it would appear they too obviously thought of them as a one hit wonder with the Beatles and had one look at the books and walked out of the room !

Oh well since employees in this disorganized rabble have gained such notoriety by virtually claiming all users are nothing but a bunch of cheap pirates , me thinks their future employment will very limited when their principle benefactor dives beneath the waves of self induced insolvency !

perhaps they could encourage some of the more extreme artists to act responsibly with the money they want us to give them when we buy music.

Perhaps not getting drunk or stoned all the time, messing up their children and setting a really bad example to children and parents alike (although I agree the press doesn't help with some of this). Not being environmental hypocrites, not scolding us for not giving enough of what remains of our post-tax income to their pet causes whilst avoiding their obligations and sheltering in tax havens.

I dont condone outright crime/theft, although I think the copyright terms should be considerably shortened and personal copying to transfer between ones own devices should be unrestricted, but do I really need to pay as much as these companies charge for the product when most of it appears to be snorted up the nose or pissed up the wall. I am effectively funding crime here, which makes me a criminal. Thanks BPI, RIAA et al.

When will politicians in the UK stop listening to IT consultants who just laugh all the way to the bank on the rubbish info they have just sold. Someone should tell them that trying to completely control the internet is like trying to hold a gallon of water in your hands - it just runs through your fingers. There is an old saying - you can fool some of the people all of the time, most of the people most of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

Anyway I thought the BPI stood for the British Pornographic Industry ;)

I'm sure the beancounters involved will be slavering at this news, as it is basically going to reduce the amount of bandwidth that is used (for legal downloads or otherwise), so they can then sell this on to more people. Simple fact more people paying and not having to bother about infrastructure upgrade costs = more money in the bank. that's why they are interested. Usual lack of respect for the customer.......it means more money for us so screw the customer

I'm fairly certain it's not piracy (although I don''t think piracy helps).

No, I think that there are several factors helping destroy the record industry.

1) Formula bands: The music industry is always looking for the right formula for the "next big thing". This means they produce a lot of bands with very little to distinguish themselves from other bands. We've had all-girl pop bands, all-boy pop bands (all singers), now we seem to have a plethora of guitar based bands. Not all of these bands are bad, but most are, and, IMO, it is putting a lot of people off of music.

2) Reality show bands/singers: The problem with these is that while they are often talented, they all produce the same formula music (usually ballads). Another problem is that often, they don't have a lot of experience of performing live. This is a problem because often, as part of the prize, they get a tour. They then have to perform in front of thousands of people when they are only used to a few. This leads to boring performances. A good singer/band will have spent years performing in small clubs and pubs, and learned from those experiences (even the bad ones).

3) Compilations: At the moment, pretty much any single that hits the charts will be in at least one compilation. In the mainstream at least, why would people spend either 79p (or £3.99 for CD) on a single when they can get that one and 40 others for a tenner?

4) Firing artists too early: Recently (basically from the late 90's), quite a few record companies have been dropping artists who haven't reached No. 1 on their second or third single. They should be giving the artist's adequate time to learn and develop their own style. It's interesting to note that Madonna (arguably one of the biggest selling artists in the last 30 years) would probably have been dropped if the record companies then operated as they do now.