Can You Really Get Kicked Off the Internet?
By Bob Rankin
After several years of negotiations and rumors, the music and film lobbyists have finally reached an agreement with Internet service providers to crack down on copyright violators. Effective March 1st 2013, the so-called ‘six strikes program’ went into effect. What is it, and what does it mean to you?
Six Strikes and You’re Out of the Internet?
Let’s step back for just a second and lay some ground work. Who are these “music and film lobbyists” and why are they so upset about “copyright violators”? Very simply, it’s all about the illegal downloading of music and movies. If you download a popular song or movie without paying for it, you’re breaking the law.
And because that activity deprives the studios and artists who created that entertainment the fruits of their labor, the music and film industries have created lobbying groups such as the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) to fight back against internet piracy and copyright violations. In legal terms, these groups are called the rights holders.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) requires ISPs to take action against suspected copyright violators when they receive complaints from rights holders; otherwise, an ISP can be held liable for contributory infringement. The six-strikes program formalizes the action that will be taken against suspects.
Here’s how it works–Article Continued Here
Excerpt shared with permission from Bob Rankin.
