Charles Dunstone certainly has an eye for publicity. The head of Carphone Warehouse (and of its “free” broadband service TalkTalk) last week threw back the request from the BPI, which represents the music industry, that TalkTalk begin implementing the “three strikes and you’re out” policy. This is the policy mooted to tackle people who download (well, perhaps upload too; or upload only; it’s not clear) copyrighted material they don’t own.That’s not surprising. The request from the BPI warns of “injunctions” if internet service providers (ISPs) don’t implement the policy within two weeks, but the concept is still hopelessly unclear. Who will pay if a high-powered barrister finds his or her connection cut off due, say, to something a passing hacker using their open Wi-Fi or a security hole in their machine has allowed? Will it be the ISP or the BPI in the dock?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/apr/07/iplayer.isps