Sky
Sky

BT and Virgin Media join TalkTalk's criticism of proposed online piracy law

Published By      Last updated on 08 March 2010

Print page

Change font size:

TalkTalk, the UK's second largest broadband provider has long been critical of the Government's planned "three strikes and you're out" online piracy law. And now BT, the UK's biggest broadband provider and Virgin Media have expressed their concerns too.
The latest changes to the proposed law would give TV and music companies the right to demand that broadband providers (ISPs) block access to websites that host pirated material.
But the broadband providers are very worried that this could lead to poorly controlled censorship, with innocent broadband customers potentially losing their broadband service, with little right to appeal.
Simon Milner, group director of industry policy at BT said: "ISPs would feel compelled to block a site simply because a rights holder claims there is infringing material on it, rather than because of a court decision."
And Andrew Heaney, executive director of strategy and regulation at TalkTalk said: "We fear it could also be a backdoor to censorship of the internet."
Whilst Virgin Media, the UK's largest fibre-optic broadband provider added: "We are concerned that, as they stand, the proposals could increase costs and penalise ISPs."

Tags:

Can’t find what you’re looking for?
Call our experts for free on 0800 542 4704
They are available 7 days a week to help you.
Call us