But the IFPI believes that the tide is going to turn as governments are starting to come around to the idea that it should be ISPs who police copyright infringements made on their own networks.

"A turning tide of opinion is one thing – a concrete programme of action is another. There is only one acceptable moment for ISPs to start taking responsibility for protecting content – and that moment is now," said John Kennedy, president of the IFPI.

Who should enforce copyright laws has long been a contentious issue with copyright holders such as musicians and record labels accusing ISPs of allowing piracy to occur on their networks.

However, the British Phonographic Industry was slammed for its heavy-handed approach in 2006 when it asked Tiscali and Cable & Wireless to suspend the accounts of 59 people who the BPI accused of piracy.

Tiscali initially refused to co-operate with the demands as it said the BPI had "provided no actual evidence" of illegal activity.

The ISP also pointed out that it was not its role to "act as a regulator or law enforcement agency and deny individuals the right to defend themselves against the allegations made against them."

But the IFPI believes that a move by French President Nicholas Sarkozy has changed the idea that ISPs shouldn't be responsible for protecting copyrighted material.

Last November, Sarkozy announced that ISPs would be held responsible for file-sharing on their networks and would be expected to disconnect persistent offenders.

"Up until now ISPs have allowed copyright theft to run rampant on their networks, causing a massive devaluation of copyrighted music. More than anything else, the Sarkozy agreement in France has changed the mood, but there has been progress among Governments and in courts elsewhere too," said the IFPI's Kennedy.

www.ifpi.org
www.bpi.co.uk
www.tiscali.co.uk

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