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Say That Again

by Mike Masnick

Thu, Jul 3rd 2008 3:46pm




Filed Under:
copyright, copyright cops, isps, uk

Companies:
bpi, virgin


Virgin: We Won't Cut Off File Sharers; Sends Envelope Saying 'We May Cut You Off'

from the mixed-messages dept

After reports said that UK broadband ISP Virgin Media would become the recording industry's copyright cop, Virgin came out denying it, saying that kicking users off the internet was draconian. However, it later admitted that it would send warning letters to people, based on the flimsy evidence used by the recording industry. Now Virgin has started sending out those letters, claiming that it's just sending letters and that there is "absolutely no possibility" that it would ban file sharers from connecting to the internet. That must explain why it sent the first batch of warning letters to people in envelopes that read: "Important. If you don't read this, your broadband could be disconnected." Absolutely no possibility, huh? It's not necessarily bad that Virgin would let customers know that the recording industry had spotted their IP -- but it seems wrong to send out these messages that completely buy into the industry's spin on what that means. And, given how hard the recording industry is pushing governments to make "three strikes laws," that "absolutely no possibility" is looking less absolute and more possible every day.

8 Comments | Leave a Comment

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  •  
    identicon
    someDude, Jul 3rd, 2008 @ 4:35pm

    It aint me man

    "kicking users off the internet was draconian"

    I think that is the first truthful statement I have seen coming from the media "guild"

    Isn't virgin the ISP somehow connected to virgin the media holder ?
    Assumming so, is it any suprise that they talk out of both sides of their mouth ?

    Also, I'm sure the folks at virgin realize that it is easy to spoof an IP addr and therefore the whole basis of them denying service is questionable.

     

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  •  
    identicon
    Jason, Jul 3rd, 2008 @ 4:50pm

    Sorry, Miss Jackson...

    ...I am fuh-real.*

    *This statement may actually not apply.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jul 4th, 2008 @ 10:40am

    OOooOOooh! Whaen Corporations start using Karl Rove Tactics, the masses *Heart* Them!

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    basicomputer, Jul 4th, 2008 @ 5:37pm

    Absolutely no possibility...

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    Lucretious, Jul 6th, 2008 @ 6:00am

    sounds like Virgin is simply trying to do the minimum to shut up the music industry types. I can't exactly fault them for trying to make everyone happy and avoid some idiotic sanctions the industry might impose on them.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    Junkyard, Jul 7th, 2008 @ 1:15am

    I agree with Lucretious

    No ISP is going to risk losing market share. They might scream and threaten but they will do everything in their power to avoid actually losing those customers to someone else.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

    •  
      identicon
      SomeGuy, Jul 7th, 2008 @ 5:17am

      Re: I agree with Lucretious

      It occurs to me that screaming and threatening goes quite a ways toward losing those customers to someone else...

       

      [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]


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