Music Group Asks ISPs To Spy On Customers To Stop Piracy

For the most part, your ISP knows what you’re doing. It knows the websites you visit and the downloads you’ve made, both legal and illegal, but usually they don’t really do anything about it unless requested by the copyright holders. That being said it seems that over in Australia, music groups are suggesting that maybe ISPs should start spying on their customers to identify those who are illegally downloading music in a bid to curb piracy.

As it stands, ISPs in Australia use a three-strikes system in which warning letters are sent to the user before action is taken. However the Australasian Music Publishers Association feels like more needs to be done, and that monitoring users might be the way to go. The association recognizes that at the moment it is not the obligation of the ISP to monitor their users but they think that it should.

According to the group, “The Code does not place a general obligation on ISPs to monitor and detect online copyright infringement. AMPAL submits that ideally the Code should include such a duty using ISPs’ monitoring and filtering techniques.” The group also adds the ISPs should filter and block access to such material as well.

“The Code does not require ISPs to block access to infringing material. AMPAL submits that ideally the Code should include provisions obliging ISPs to take such action following provision of the relevant information by Rights Holders and/or following discovery of copyright infringing websites by ISPs’ monitoring and filtering techniques.”

While we suppose this could ultimately curb piracy, those who might be more tech savvy could eventually find a way around it. Not to mention we can only imagine that many users regardless of their online activities, might not appreciate being monitored due to privacy concerns, but what do you guys think? Is this how copyright holders should approach the battle against piracy?

Tyler Lee
Categories: Audio, Web
Tags: Legal, Music, Piracy