French Anti-Piracy Law Draws Harsh Criticism

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

11 March 2009

Internet users in France have criticized a proposal by the country's President to introduce a new law that would take a tougher stance on illegal downloads.

If approved, the anti-piracy bill put forward by Nicolas Sarkozy would clamp down on individuals who are found repeatedly downloading illegal material, and would terminate their internet connection for up to a year.

The French government drew up the bill in response to a recent survey that suggests around 1 in 3 of the country's internet users knowingly download illegal music files, tv shows and movies.

Under the proposed system, repeat offenders would first be warned against their actions via email. If they ignore the advice and continue to illegally download, then a second email would be issued. If both are ignored, then the authorities would terminate the offender's internet connection.

The bill has gained the backing of the associated music and film industries, who have reported a decline in sales of almost 50% as a result of illegal file-sharing.

However, the country's Socialist party along with a wealth of bloggers and other internet users have lodged opposition to the bill, citing it as a breach of human rights.

The biggest argument against the proposal is that it will not always correctly identify the culprit, for instance in the scenario of a hijacked connection.

Several other EU countries have decided against implementing such a system, and opposition against a similar regime in New Zealand was so great that the government withdrew it at the last minute.

Recommended