Computer game file-sharing case part of a larger crackdown in UK?
In the world of illegal file-sharing, music is the medium which gets by far the most attention. But the sharing of movies, television programmes, computer games, and software are just as illegal. It seems in the UK at least, it’s the turn of computer game sharers to get hauled before a judge.
Ever since Napster allowed everyone and their grandma to share music files over the Internet freely, it is music that has garnered the most attention from the press and authorities when it comes to illegal file-sharing. This is partly down to music files being small and the most obvious media to share, but it’s also the fault of the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and the record labels for going after file-sharers and the websites which serve them so vehemently.
Today has seen a bit of a reminder that other mediums are also subject to the same laws however, with the news that an unnamed woman in the UK has been fined £16,000 ($32,000) for uploading a PC game to the Internet and allowing it to be distributed through P2P sites on the Web.
The game in question was Dream Pinball 3D and its makers, Topware Interactive, were awarded over £16,000 in costs and damages after a law firm launched legal action against her. But she isn’t alone, with The Times suggesting that over 100 people are due to be sued for the same offence.
This follows hot on the heels of four people being found guilty of breaking copyright laws by sharing computer games over the Internet in the London County Court earlier this year. It also comes just a couple of months after former members of file-sharing community OiNK were arrested for “conspiracy to defraud the music industry”.
David Gore, a partner at Davenport Lyons, a London-based law firm, said in response to this latest case:
Illegal file-sharing is a very serious issue resulting in millions of pounds of losses to copyright owners.
As downloading speeds and internet penetration increase, this continues to be a worldwide problem across the media industry which increasingly relies on digital revenues.
The damages and costs ordered by the court are significant and show that taking direct steps against infringers is an important and effective weapon in the battle against online piracy.
It certainly seems as though there is currently a crackdown on all forms of illegal file-sharing in the UK, with various different schemes and deals being done behind the scenes to tighten up the legal repercussions. Unlike in Germany where there seems to be a softening of policy.
This is all part of a bigger plan that was finalised between the BPI and several ISPs last month which will see thousands of suspected file-sharers warned about their behaviour. ISPs are currently refusing to disconnect anyone from the Internet, but how long that policy lasts remains to be seen.
However, it’s important to remember that only 150 people have been successfully prosecuted in the UK for file-sharing over the past five years. With a population of over 60 million people, that’s still pretty good odds of getting away with it.
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