The Government believes it can reduce unlawful file-sharing by 70% to 80% by forcing internet service providers (ISPs) to tell users that their copyright infringement has been noted and making evidence of infringement available to the courts.It said that its policy “needs” to make that much difference, even as it came under fire from content industry bodies for not mandating the cutting off of file-sharing internet users.
http://out-law.com/page-10097Also see:COMMENT: Why trying to stop filesharers is like herding cats
For years I’ve watched governments make grand plans relating to technology. And for years I’ve watched those plans fall by the wayside, as the challenge of getting technology to behave according to some sort of legislative programme proves like the proverbial herding of cats.It’s not surprising. After all, the government is in charge of pretty much everything in our schools and hospitals, but those still carry the ability to disappoint. Now try it with technology, where even the companies that are at its forefront can be befuddled in a matter of months – think of Microsoft’s lurches in 1995 as it tried to adjust to the arrival of the internet and a nascent rival called Netscape, and its similar (unsuccessful) attempt to readjust to the arrival of Google in 1999 – and you’ll see why an organisation that relies on pieces of paper written and considered by lawyers (most MPs are) is not going to be able to catch up with the internet, where new ways of breaking existing laws (copyright, usually) are discovered all the time.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jun/16/file-sharing-charles-arthur
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