ISPs should take responsiblity for fighting online music sharing
25th January 2008
Immediate action is required from UK ISPs and the government to curb online sharing of music, a music industry body has claimed.
In its latest study The Digital Music Report 2008, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPA), said that although broadband providers are increasingly acknowledging their role in the problem, this now needs to be translated into action.
John Kennedy, chairman and chief executive officer of the IFPI, said: "A turning tide of opinion is one thing - a concrete programme of action is another. There is only one acceptable moment for ISPs to start taking responsibility for protecting content - and that moment is now."
News of Mr Kennedy’s remarks comes as recent statistics showed that revenue from sales of music online rose to around £5 billion this year and now accounts for 15 per cent of all sales.
However, according to a report from ISPreview, despite the fact that this represents growth of 40 per cent year on year, record companies are continuing to suffer from "the spread of unlicensed music on ISP networks [which] is choking revenues".
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