Germany's anti-piracy body calls for net action

Germany's Federation Against Copyright Theft (GVU) is calling for initiative against the distribution of pirated movies on the Internet, advocating technical solutions to curb illegal downloading.

"It is unacceptable that some online providers generate a considerable amount of their business by having their customers massively infringing on copyrighted material," says Christian Sommer, GVU Chairman, in an appeal to politicians and Internet Service Providers’ sense of responsibility.

"The protection of intellectual property is a matter of cooperation, not conflict," Sommer points out. “Although it is evident that ISPs are increasingly tackling the problem, that alone isn't enough. The time has come to finally take action. First and foremost, this means setting the necessary legislative parameters."

The Alliance of German Producers – Film & TV, the federal music industry association, GEMA and the German Stationers’ Company demand that there must be a fair balancing of interests between the creative industry on the one hand and the telecommunications sector on the other. They have joined the GVU in addressing a plea to the government for improved political conditions for effective copyright protection on the Internet, and for an "unambiguous political will to adopt new measures."

Taking their cue from initiatives in France, Britain, Japan, Australia and at a EU level, the stakeholders advocated a technical solution in taking action against illegal downloaders. Such a procedure would be implemented under government supervision and in cooperation with privacy and consumer protectionists and ISPs.

ISPs would initially send out warnings to customers who attract attention through their illegal downloading activities. For repeat offenders, a gradually escalating system of sanctions would eventually lead to temporary suspensions and ultimately to a cancellation of their service contract.

These organisations support a recent initiative by 180 actors, filmmakers, composers, musicians, writers and publishers. On World Intellectual Property Day, this creative community published an open letter to German Chancellor Merkel. The signatories called on the Chancellor to declare intellectual property protection a ‘top priority’, in order to preserve one of the most important resources of the future: cultural and creative diversity.

Story filed 25 April 2008

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