British music industry critical of mass file sharing lawsuits

The law firm ACS:Law announced last November to sue alleged file sharers on a massive scale. Initially, it would bring forth around 15.000 cases. BPI, representing the music industry, criticises this approach.

BPI doesn’t think legal action is a good form of first contact with alleged file-sharers. It feels this means should only be used for repeating file-sharers that refuse to change their behaviour. In a statement, spokesperson Adam Liversage said: “We don’t favour the approach taken by ACS:Law to tackle illegal file-sharing, which is at odds with the proportionate and graduated response advocated by BPI and proposed in the Digital Economy Bill.”

ACS:Law has dropped a number of cases en reports to direct its efforts at cases that are “beneficial to our clients”. People who receive a letter from ACS:Law are generally offered to settle for an amount of 300-500 pounds.

Consumer association Which? has reported to have received over 150 letters of people claiming to have received word from ACS:Law unjustly.

One of the letters reads: “  My 78 year old father yesterday received a letter from ACS law demanding £500 for a porn file he is alleged to have downloaded,” reads one letter. “He doesn’t even know what file sharing or bittorrent is so has certainly not done this himself or given anyone else permission to use his computer to do such a thing.”

Which? expect to receive more complaints now that many people go public with their letter.

2 February 2010