French Senate votes for ‘three strikes and you’re out’ piracy law
By Dave Parrack
In November 2007, a new system for punishing illegal file-sharers was proposed in France that would see anyone caught thrown off the Internet. This proposal has now moved closer to becoming law after the French Senate voted unanimously in favor of the measure.
Different countries have taken a vastly different approach to the issue of illegal file-sharing and piracy. The RIAA has tried to catch and prosecute pirates in the U.S., with only mixed success. While the UK is heading towards having ISPs become copyright cops reporting back to the authorities about who they consider is breaking the law.
Germany seems to be heading the other way, with all but the biggest lawbreakers being ignored rather than chased. But their neighbors, France, is not only tightening up its laws against piracy, the country is willing to go against European laws and legal opinion in doing so.
Under the new French proposals, anyone caught sharing copyrighted digital media, whether it’s music, movies, or games, will be warned twice via email and letter before having their connection permanently cut off.
As with the British system, Internet service providers will be asked to act as the eyes and ears of the media companies, and report any wrongdoing on the part of their customers to the authorities. BBC News reports the French Senate as having passed the law unanimously 297 to 15. The measure will now pass to the French National Assembly for final ratification.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is completely for the new law, declaring it “a decisive moment for the future of a civilized Internet” when it was first proposed late last year. Not everyone is for such a harsh move though, with an MP named Bruno Retailleau suggesting using fines instead of cutting them off. His amendment was rejected outright.
Brussels, the home of the European Union, is also against a similar Europe-wide law due to it conflicting with “civil liberties and human rights”. Which is fortunate for most of Europe. Unfortunately, each country can still set its own laws, and France now looks highly likely to bring in this draconian and over-the-top measure.
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