Virgin warns illegal internet music downloaders

[Schism]

Teenagers building vast music collections by downloading songs illegally from the internet should beware. Their access to free music faces being cut off by irate parents.

Coldplay: Virgin warns illegal internet music downloaders
Bands such as Coldplay are having their material illegally shared by a generation accustomed to free music

From next week, Virgin Media, the UK's largest provider of home broadband, will send a warning to those customers whose accounts are being used to download or share music illegally.

In the first public deal between an internet service provider and the record industry, due to be announced today, Virgin Media has agreed to send out thousands of letters during a 10-week trial. In many cases, these are likely to be received by the unsuspecting parents of a generation of children who have come to see music as a free commodity, thanks to so-called 'file sharing' services.

The campaign is being run jointly with the BPI, which represents the major record labels.


The BPI ultimately wants internet companies to implement a "three strikes" process to first warn, and then disconnect the estimated 6.5m customers whose accounts are repeatedly misused.

Virgin Media has stopped short of threatening its 3.5m subscribers with disconnection, saying it first wants to "educate" customers. But Virgin's letters will be accompanied by one from the BPI, which warns that persistent offenders could be disconnected or taken to court.Each letter will have an example of a file shared illegally from that computer.

Yep, blame it on the kids again! It's the way forward >.>

[the_saint]

The BPI ultimately wants internet companies to implement a "three strikes" process to first warn, and then disconnect the estimated 6.5m customers whose accounts are repeatedly misused.

Stupid BPI, that's two strikes!

[myrazorblad]

what about use of limewire?

do they know what you download from there?

cos i know several people who use this...

[Schism]

Originally Posted by myrazorblad

what about use of limewire?

do they know what you download from there?

cos i know several people who use this...

Oh yes...

All I recommend is Peerguardian 2... they can't look at your PC then.

Limewire is one of the worst things to use.

[adammcg]

Originally Posted by Schism

Oh yes...

All I recommend is Peerguardian 2... they can't look at your PC then.

Limewire is one of the worst things to use.

Don't be so sure. Peerguardian on P2P programs like limewire may help you because you are not actually visible to the companies they block. However you are still visible to those IPs not in their blocklist. As for using torrents with peerguardian, there's absolutely no point. Your IP is seen by everyone in the swarm even if they cannot connect to you directly.

Only thing you can do really is swap material with friends or simply stop downloading copyrighted material to be 100% safe.

[eonbar]

that reminds me
i need to download MOS Chillers after that advert last night inbetween BB

[Schism]

Originally Posted by adammcg

Don't be so sure. Peerguardian on P2P programs like limewire may help you because you are not actually visible to the companies they block. However you are still visible to those IPs not in their blocklist. As for using torrents with peerguardian, there's absolutely no point. Your IP is seen by everyone in the swarm even if they cannot connect to you directly.

Only thing you can do really is swap material with friends or simply stop downloading copyrighted material to be 100% safe.

Anyone that would genuinely be interested in who looking up who I am to get me done would be very hard for them, because they're the IPs that are blocked.

And for a company to prove it, they would have to look at every single of the millions of packets you're sending and receiving.

[stubbs]

people still use limewire???

This is the stuff that website about internet freedom was warning about awhile ago (you know the one i posted about the internet dieing in 2012, same site) looks like they may actually know a thing or two.

[wolf]

Thing is music isnt that expensive and its much quicker and easier to buy off itunes.

As for tv shows/Movies most can be streamed online for free with no risk to the viewer. Granted many of them are poor quality but downloading movies illegally you run the same risk of downloading a **** copy.

there isn't really any need to download things illegally. You also get special student editions of software which is much cheaper than the full price versions

[Fezio]

Originally Posted by Schism

Yep, blame it on the kids again! It's the way forward >.>

Believe it or not. I never download off torrent sites. I use to but havent for almost 3 years.

I know 2 people (through friends) who have been fined and/or arressted.

Not worth it.

I get all my CDs off eBay. Pay around 3quid for em. Not worth the risk in my eyes

[Fezio]

Originally Posted by Schism

Oh yes...

All I recommend is Peerguardian 2... they can't look at your PC then.

Limewire is one of the worst things to use.

Lol if they want to find you they will. I'm sure the force have plenty of money/boffins to over power some shareware software a spotty kid put together.

It really isnt worth the risk. It may seem it is untill its to late.

[Dunstan]

I know 2 people (through friends) who have been fined and/or arressted.

wow! How did that happen then? Were they downloading loads?

[bmh16]

The thing is i hate it when people download music illegally. Loads of my friends do it and it just annoys me. I myself do it loads, but there is one difference. I download the album first and if i like the music i will buy the album. That's what i don't like about what Virgin are doing. Innocent people (on this anyway!!) like me will get into trouble for downloading illegally when if i don't like the album i will delete it permanently and if i like it i will buy it. I don't have 71 music CDs in my bedroom for nothing!! (hopefully increasing to near 100 in the next week or 2

[wolf]

Originally Posted by bmh16

The thing is i hate it when people download music illegally. Loads of my friends do it and it just annoys me. I myself do it loads, but there is one difference. I download the album first and if i like the music i will buy the album. That's what i don't like about what Virgin are doing. Innocent people (on this anyway!!) like me will get into trouble for downloading illegally when if i don't like the album i will delete it permanently and if i like it i will buy it. I don't have 71 music CDs in my bedroom for nothing!! (hopefully increasing to near 100 in the next week or 2

71? thats mediocre!

ive got nearly 200! :P

[tttwb]

thats stupid, people wouldnt have to download music if it wasnt so expensive!
how will they know poeple are doing it?

[jakethepeg]

Originally Posted by tttwb

thats stupid, people wouldnt have to download music if it wasnt so expensive!how will they know poeple are doing it?

?!?!?!

What price would you suggest then? You will happily pay £20 for a film, or £40-50 for a PS3 game, but 79p for a music track is oh so expensive?!?!

Downloading illegally is illegal for a reason - its theft. As the TV advert on every single DVD says, "You wouldn't steal a car", so why steal a DVD?

The same applies here - why steal music? Granted the people who sell it make millions, but its theres! If you want it, you have to buy it!

iTunes is quick and easy, or do as fezio says and buy off ebay - if you download illegally, you deserve to get fined, as it is against the law and it is stealing, no two ways about it!

It just pi**es me off a bit that people get stuff for free, and then don't get caught, and I have to pay money to get what others get for free by stealing...

Hmmm.... Mind you, I couldn't live with stealing music I don't think, no matter how small, unless I did what Ben did and then bought the album afterwards if I liked it...

Just my opinion!

JTP