UK internet service providers and the British government are teaming up to stamp down on digital piracy, but their methods don't involve punishing those who download movies, music and games illegally. Instead, those who are found practicing digital piracy will be pointed towards legal alternatives.
Companies like Virgin Media, Sky Broadband, British Record Music Industry, TalkTalk and the Motion Picture Association along with the UK government will launch the Creative Content UK campaign in early 2015 with the goal of raising awareness of legal and affordably priced alternatives to pirating digital media.
There are no real negative consequences under the program for being found illegally downloading material off the web. Pirates will be sent letters (up to four a year) that will seek to educate and point consumers towards legal and fairly priced alternatives for the kind of media they are consuming illegally. That's it. The letters will be informative in tone, bearing in mind that the internet account holder may not actually being the one responsible for the illegal downloads.
Business Secretary Vince Cable says that the program isn't about denying access to the internet, but about "persuading the persuadable."
"It's about changing attitudes and raising awareness so people can make the right choice," Cable says.
In a statement explaining the program, Virgin Media says that in an age where the internet is growing faster and digital technology continues to grow, tech has become a daily part of life. However, big problems like unlawful downloading and illegal file sharing still remain.
"At the moment, media companies are pointing to the damage being done by unlawful file-sharing as it limits the amount of money they can invest in new bands, artists and ideas," Joe Lathan says in a Virgin Media blog post on the subject. "Many of our customers have told us they need new types of services to help them legally share and enjoy the things they love and there are calls for Government to consider how it can update copyright law to protect individuals and the creative industries."
That is why Virgin Media, Lathan continues, is dedicated to the Creative Content UK campaign.
"We are committed to raising awareness of the importance of protecting copyright online and helping our customers find legal, compelling sources for the music, TV and movies they love," Lathan says. "We believe people will ultimately pay if they can get what they want, how they want, at a price that's fair to them."
Partners for the program include Spotify and Netflix, legal and reasonably affordable options for music and TV/movies that would stand to benefit if the program manages to do its job of persuading potential pirates.
