BPI threatens legal action over P2P

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is threatening to take legal action against a small hardcore of file sharers "offering hundreds and often thousands of files over the internet", out of the seven million people in the UK it claims use illegal music download sites.

The UK record industry association has said it will put illegal file sharers of music "on notice" that if they continue their activities they will face court action.

Research also published today by the BPI reports that retail spending on music is down by almost a third on albums (32 per cent) and almost 60 per cent on singles (59 per cent).

Only 600,000 users stick to legal sites, the BPI claimed.

"These figures are truly disturbing. No-one can now question the need for us to take action," said Peter Jamieson, chairman of the BPI, in a statement.

Initially, the BPI is launching an instant messaging campaign warning uploaders that they face court action if they do not disable file sharing software on their computers, a similar tactic to that deployed by the RIAA in the run up to its first set of lawsuits.

The message states: "Warning: The file sharing network you are connected to indicates that you are offering music to others from your computer.

"Doing this without permission from the copyright owner is illegal."

"There is no excuse whatsoever for people taking music without permission," said Jamieson.

"There are literally hundreds of thousands of tracks available on legal internet music services in the UK."

File sharing contravenes Sections 16 and 20 of the The Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988, according to the BPI.

See also:

BPI sits on sidelines as P2P lawsuits fly

UK industry body admits to no immediate plans for legal action  09 Jun 2004

Legal downloads pass 500,000 mark

BPI celebrates 'breakthrough' for music industry as P2P sites lose their appeal  04 Jun 2004

RIAA issues new wave of P2P suits

Trade body takes action against a further 477 users  29 Apr 2004

P2P takes the rap as music sales slump

Fourth consecutive annual drop blamed squarely on illegal file sharing  08 Apr 2004

P2P war hits Europe and Canada

International trade body slaps suits on a further 247 file-sharers  31 Mar 2004

Bugwatch: The perils of peer-to-peer

The many dangers lurking in P2P software could affect every internet-connected business  31 Mar 2004

P2P 'no threat' to music sales

Academic research disputes claim that file sharing is hitting CD shipments  30 Mar 2004

RIAA applauds civil lawsuit P2P bill

File sharers charged under proposed legislation would face fine but no criminal record  26 Mar 2004

Legal downloads outsell CDs

Digital music services hit major milestone  10 Feb 2004

BPI ramps up copyright battle

File sharers and online retailers to face the music  27 Jan 2004

UK file sharers to face legal action

Record bosses weigh up tough line on copyright breaches  16 Jan 2004

BPI to follow RIAA's war on file sharers

UK recording industry considers legal action against P2P 'serious offenders'  14 Jan 2004

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