Post by Tony on Jun 23, 2005 0:55:47 GMT
Illegal filesharers pay thousands of pounds in compensation : 4:3:2005
23 settlements from all over the UK
Filesharers pay up to £4,500 each in settlement
BPI announces another 31 cases across 8 different P2P networks
UK record companies’ trade association the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) today announced that 23 UK internet users have agreed to pay thousands of pounds in compensation for distributing music illegally via peer-to-peer networks on the internet.
The BPI said it will also bring 31 new cases against filesharers from across the UK as it steps up its campaign against illegal filesharing. And in a broadening of the campaign the new actions will span eight different filesharing networks. Further cases will follow.
BPI Chairman Peter Jamieson said, “Unauthorised filesharing is against the law. It effectively steals the livelihood of musicians and the record companies who invest in them. We will not hesitate to protect the rights of our members and the artists they represent.”
BPI General Counsel Geoff Taylor said, “We are determined to find people who illegally distribute music, whichever peer-to-peer network they use, and to make them compensate the artists and labels they are stealing from.
“These settlements show we can and we will enforce the law. No one should be in any doubt that we will continue to do so.”
Illegal filesharers discover the cost of “free music”
The 23 settlements announced today arise out of the 26 cases announced by the BPI in October 2004. Three cases are still in negotiation and legal action may follow.
The settlements include internet users from all over the UK – 17 men and six women. The average settlement is more than £2,000 – more than a month’s salary for the average UK worker. Two illegal filesharers are paying more than £4,000 each to settle their cases.
BPI General Counsel Geoff Taylor explained, “We have no desire to drag people through the courts. So we have attempted to reach fair settlements where we can.
“We hope people will now begin to get the message that the best way to avoid the risk of legal action and paying substantial compensation is to stop illegal filesharing and to buy music online, safely and legally, instead.”
Further litigation to follow in UK covering all popular P2P networks
The BPI announced that it will be going to the High Court today seeking orders for the disclosure of the identities of a further 31 illegal filesharers on a range of peer-to-peer networks, including , eDonkey, Grokster, Soulseek, DirectConnect, , Bearshare and Imesh.
Although impressive developments in legal download services saw an estimated 9 million download sales in the UK in 2004, there are still millions of individuals in the UK who persist in trading files illegally.
Said Taylor, “If illegal filesharers think that they can avoid getting caught by staying away from the most popular networks like , they’re wrong. We are going to continue bringing cases against people who distribute music illegally, whichever filesharing network they use, for as long as it’s necessary. Legitimate music services can only prosper if we continue to fight the theft of music on the internet.”
Turning the tide
The BPI’s action against illegal filesharing in the UK is part of a global campaign by the record companies who invest in new music, seeking to turn the tide on internet piracy.
Research shows that illegal activity on the once most-popular filesharing network Fast Track – on which runs – has plummeted, with the number of users in January 2005 down 45% from its peak in April 2003.
While some more determined illegal filesharers are migrating to other networks, the combination of superior legal services and the threat of legal action means that despite increasing broadband penetration, authorised services are growing at a faster rate than illegal services.
With thousands of cases launched against the users of other illegal networks, illegal uploaders are learning that there is no place to hide; the number of eDonkey servers is down by 61%, BitTorrent servers and users are down 66% while the Direct Connect network has also seen a decline in the number of servers.
< ENDS >
For further information, please contact:
BPI Communications Department
Matt Phillips | 020 7803 1326 / 07739 514963
Steve Redmond | 020 7803 1324 / 07770 924720
23 illegal filesharers pay compensation and give High Court undertakings not to fileshare illegally
Mr R - Swanley, Kent - user
Mr S - Chatham, Kent - Grokster user
Ms C - Romford, Essex - user
Ms C - Glasgow, Scotland - user
Mr G - Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland - user
Mr C - St Leonards, Sussex - Grokster user
Mr D - Chatham, Kent - user
Mr R - Andover, Hampshire - Imesh user
Mr J - Bristol, Avon - WinMx user
Mr R - Highbury, London - user
Mr J - Cwmbran, South Wales - user
Mrs L - Hastings, Sussex - user
Mr C - Fife, Scotland - user
Mr A - Brighton, Sussex - Imesh user
Ms F - Welwyn Garden City, Herts - user
Mr M - Loughborough, Leics - Imesh user
Mrs P - Lytham St Annes, Lancashire - BearShare user
Mr T - Liverpool, Merseyside - user
Mr S - Barnstaple, Devon - user
Mrs M - Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland - user
Mr M - Marlow, Bucks - user
Mr I - Canvey Island - Imesh user
Mr N - Stoke on Trent - user
The 23 illegal filesharers who have settled range in age from 22 to 58.
The number of files they were distributing over the internet ranged from hundreds to many thousands.
They include people from every walk of life – from a student to the director of an IT company to a local councillor.
23 settlements from all over the UK
Filesharers pay up to £4,500 each in settlement
BPI announces another 31 cases across 8 different P2P networks
UK record companies’ trade association the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) today announced that 23 UK internet users have agreed to pay thousands of pounds in compensation for distributing music illegally via peer-to-peer networks on the internet.
The BPI said it will also bring 31 new cases against filesharers from across the UK as it steps up its campaign against illegal filesharing. And in a broadening of the campaign the new actions will span eight different filesharing networks. Further cases will follow.
BPI Chairman Peter Jamieson said, “Unauthorised filesharing is against the law. It effectively steals the livelihood of musicians and the record companies who invest in them. We will not hesitate to protect the rights of our members and the artists they represent.”
BPI General Counsel Geoff Taylor said, “We are determined to find people who illegally distribute music, whichever peer-to-peer network they use, and to make them compensate the artists and labels they are stealing from.
“These settlements show we can and we will enforce the law. No one should be in any doubt that we will continue to do so.”
Illegal filesharers discover the cost of “free music”
The 23 settlements announced today arise out of the 26 cases announced by the BPI in October 2004. Three cases are still in negotiation and legal action may follow.
The settlements include internet users from all over the UK – 17 men and six women. The average settlement is more than £2,000 – more than a month’s salary for the average UK worker. Two illegal filesharers are paying more than £4,000 each to settle their cases.
BPI General Counsel Geoff Taylor explained, “We have no desire to drag people through the courts. So we have attempted to reach fair settlements where we can.
“We hope people will now begin to get the message that the best way to avoid the risk of legal action and paying substantial compensation is to stop illegal filesharing and to buy music online, safely and legally, instead.”
Further litigation to follow in UK covering all popular P2P networks
The BPI announced that it will be going to the High Court today seeking orders for the disclosure of the identities of a further 31 illegal filesharers on a range of peer-to-peer networks, including , eDonkey, Grokster, Soulseek, DirectConnect, , Bearshare and Imesh.
Although impressive developments in legal download services saw an estimated 9 million download sales in the UK in 2004, there are still millions of individuals in the UK who persist in trading files illegally.
Said Taylor, “If illegal filesharers think that they can avoid getting caught by staying away from the most popular networks like , they’re wrong. We are going to continue bringing cases against people who distribute music illegally, whichever filesharing network they use, for as long as it’s necessary. Legitimate music services can only prosper if we continue to fight the theft of music on the internet.”
Turning the tide
The BPI’s action against illegal filesharing in the UK is part of a global campaign by the record companies who invest in new music, seeking to turn the tide on internet piracy.
Research shows that illegal activity on the once most-popular filesharing network Fast Track – on which runs – has plummeted, with the number of users in January 2005 down 45% from its peak in April 2003.
While some more determined illegal filesharers are migrating to other networks, the combination of superior legal services and the threat of legal action means that despite increasing broadband penetration, authorised services are growing at a faster rate than illegal services.
With thousands of cases launched against the users of other illegal networks, illegal uploaders are learning that there is no place to hide; the number of eDonkey servers is down by 61%, BitTorrent servers and users are down 66% while the Direct Connect network has also seen a decline in the number of servers.
< ENDS >
For further information, please contact:
BPI Communications Department
Matt Phillips | 020 7803 1326 / 07739 514963
Steve Redmond | 020 7803 1324 / 07770 924720
23 illegal filesharers pay compensation and give High Court undertakings not to fileshare illegally
Mr R - Swanley, Kent - user
Mr S - Chatham, Kent - Grokster user
Ms C - Romford, Essex - user
Ms C - Glasgow, Scotland - user
Mr G - Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland - user
Mr C - St Leonards, Sussex - Grokster user
Mr D - Chatham, Kent - user
Mr R - Andover, Hampshire - Imesh user
Mr J - Bristol, Avon - WinMx user
Mr R - Highbury, London - user
Mr J - Cwmbran, South Wales - user
Mrs L - Hastings, Sussex - user
Mr C - Fife, Scotland - user
Mr A - Brighton, Sussex - Imesh user
Ms F - Welwyn Garden City, Herts - user
Mr M - Loughborough, Leics - Imesh user
Mrs P - Lytham St Annes, Lancashire - BearShare user
Mr T - Liverpool, Merseyside - user
Mr S - Barnstaple, Devon - user
Mrs M - Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland - user
Mr M - Marlow, Bucks - user
Mr I - Canvey Island - Imesh user
Mr N - Stoke on Trent - user
The 23 illegal filesharers who have settled range in age from 22 to 58.
The number of files they were distributing over the internet ranged from hundreds to many thousands.
They include people from every walk of life – from a student to the director of an IT company to a local councillor.
