James Delahunty
1 Aug 2005 17:16
The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is to take its first court action against 5 file sharers it accuses to have been illegally distributing music on P2P networks. More than 60 people already paid settlements to the BPI in its campaign against illegal file sharing. According to the BPI, the five people in question (three men and two women) made 8,906 songs available over the Internet. People who have settled with the BPI have paid up to £6,500 in compensation each.
"We have tried to agree fair settlements, but if people refuse to deal with the evidence against them, then the law must take its course," said BPI general counsel Geoff Taylor. "We will be seeking an injunction and full damages for the losses they have caused, in addition to the considerable legal costs we are incurring as a result of their illegal activity." More than 14,000 people worldwide have been sued in a campaign which the music industry calls an "educational tool".
Despite the large increase in legal music downloads, the music industry is not willing to stop or ease their tactics. The belief is that the rise in legal sales is directly due to the legal action on filesharing. However P2P usage continues to rise even now at huge rates. Research firm, The Leading Question found that people who illegally shared music files online spent four-and-a-half times more on paid-for music downloads than average fans. This is not enough to convince the BPI. "They are undermining the legal services, they are damaging music and they are breaking the law," said BPI chairman Peter Jamieson.
Source:
BBC News