A new anti-piracy law passed in France has put the spotlight on users who frequently download music illegally. Anyone who uses filesharing software like Ares or Limewire risks having their Internet access cut.
The agreement would mean that Internet service providers have the power to issue warning messages before suspending or else terminating Internet accounts. Ignoring the messages isn’t an option because the service providers can freeze accounts at the flick of a switch.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy is apparently behind the move, saying, “We run the risk of witnessing a genuine destruction of culture.
“The Internet must not become a high-tech Far West, a lawless zone where outlaws can pillage works with abandon or, worse, trade in them in total impunity. And on whose backs? On artists’ backs,” he said.
This latest attempt to curb filesharing is groundbreaking and terrifying at the same time. Consumer groups have lashed out at the campaign, calling it “very tough”.
Looks like an infringement on Internet freedom. We can only hope that it doesn’t catch on around the world.