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The BBC has weighed in on recent copyright and piracy talks, suggesting that Internet service providers should monitor network traffic and automatically be suspicious of customers using a VPN while consuming large amounts of bandwidth- assuming that all VPN users are pirates.
In a submission to the Australian government, the BBC proposed a co-operative scheme between copyright holders and ISPs to “reduce and eliminate” online piracy. In addition, the broadcaster wants to educate consumers on where to find content legally, while also supporting improved availability of official offerings.
The BBC wants ISPs to implement a notification system but also dish out serious sanctions to persistent downloaders:
“ISPs should warn any alleged copyright infringers through a graduated notification system that what they are doing is illegal and, at the same time, educate them about the law, the importance of copyright to funding content and services they enjoy and where they can access the material they want legally. However. if the consumers do not abide by the notifications then more serious action may need to be taken.”
Educating consumers and pushing for better availability of content sounds all well and good, but the notification and sanction system that The BBC proposed wouldn't work well if ISPs were to assume that all VPN users are pirates- which is exactly what the company wants providers to do.
“Since the evolution of peer-to-peer software protocols to incorporate decentralized architectures, which has allowed users to download content from numerous host computers, the detection and prosecution of copyright violations has become a complex task.”
“This situation is further amplified by the adoption of virtual private networks (VPNs) and proxy servers by some users, allowing them to circumvent geo-blocking technologies and further evade detection.”
The BBC goes on to state that it is “reasonable” for ISPs to be placed under an obligation to monitor the network traffic of its customers and make note of any activity that could be deemed “suspicious” including the use of IP masking tools in conjunction with large download volumes.
The problem with this is that it would tar all heavy bandwidth and VPN users with the same brush. Some VPN users may subscribe to Netflix every month and binge watch HD TV shows, which can use up to 2.1GB of data per hour. Other VPN users may be downloading a few games on Steam, or playing a lot of multiplayer titles, all things that would consume lots of bandwidth while still being legal.
So far, these methods have only been proposed to the Australian government, but its possible that other countries will seek proposals from media companies in an effort to come up with an effective anti-piracy plan.
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KitGuru Says: I use a VPN service fairly regularly for purely legal means. Some VPN users likely are pirates but its not fair to suspect all consumers- using up large amounts of bandwidth shouldn't automatically point to piracy. If this proposal were to be accepted then we could see VPNs outlawed in Australia, a trend that could spread to other countries if successful. Do any of you guys use a VPN service? Do you think its fair to assume that all VPN and large bandwidth users are pirates?
Source: TorrentFreak
What an absolute idiotic load of tosh. The BBC is the last organisation that should be offering up any opinion on what is right and wrong considering the way they operate. An organisation who should long ago have been forced to find an ethical funding method, rather than literally threaten people with false claims of legal action has no place discussing the morals and ethics of others.
As to saying that ISP’s should be held responsible, I don’t see why they should. They are no more legally or morally responsible for what I or anyone chooses to transmit over their networks than a telephone provider is for what gets transmitted via phone or to lock up posties who unwittingly deliver something unpleasant in the mail. Hell, if it is the job of the carrier to police these things then perhaps I could sue the BBC for transmitting disturbing/false/self serving information via their morally and ethically unsound television and radio networks.
The Bullshit Broadcasting Communists should stick to what they do best, making crappy Doctor Who shows & leave the critical thinking to those who are capable of it.
“Making content available” isn’t exactly going to compete with “free”. That’s the issue. That’s the main reason people pirate. It’s free, as in, not paying money.
Sure, people often donate money to their chosen piracy sites to keep them going, others rent seedboxes or pay for VPN’s to mask their traffic. But, ultimately, it’s free, limitless and the best form of media for the content.
If content providers want to offer limitless MKV’s in varying quality that are DRM free and will work across a wide variety of devices for the same price that many pay for VPN’s and donations to websites, then that’d work really, really well.
Except they won’t, because they seem to think they shouldn’t have to compete on that level with piracy. But they do.
People don’t want to pay £10 per month, per network, for content. They just don’t. They won’t want a Starz subscription, a HBO subscription, a Netflix subscription, an Amazon subscription, a Sky subscription, etc etc, costing a small fortune monthly. When £5-10pm will cover it all.
It’s time these content providers booked their ideas up, dropped their attitudes and business models and embraced this. They could save money in lawsuits and retarded lobbying like this, and simply start sharing and making money from all these legitimate subscriptions.
I am a regular user of VPN’s in my line of work I have active vpn connections various networks both from home and from my desk at work. I utilize it purely for business use to protect my clients data and my networks. I use the vpn on a regular basis especially when i have to download retention backups and doing migrations which could be hundreds of gigabytes of data.. by being *Branded* as a pirate just because the ISP cant tell what my traffic is and just assuming that I’m pirating is completely wrong.
ISP’s should definitely not be held responsible for any traffic because their just providing a service. the fact that they can see un-encrypted data already bothers me but if my right to use a VPN is denied because an ISP wants to be able to see all my traffic then I’ll be swapping providers and saying bye bye to you.
I am almost at the point now where I want to use a VPN permanently just so I cant be seen shopping online or watching videos on youtube. not to say that any of the things I do online is illegal but I like my privacy and a VPN can provide that to me.
I use VPN a huge amount for the purpose of circumventing pointless blocks on my work network. Whilst they probably aren’t happy about me doing this, it certainly isn’t breaking any copyright laws.
This is ridiculous. I watch twitch.tv, usually on full quality and that takes a fair amount of space. So I am going to be considered a pirate because I use a lot of data? There are other people in my house who watch Netflix, On Demand services, and I myself play a lot of multiplayer games. So apparently according to this, I’m going to be a pirate!
Also, why is an agency thats SUPPOSED to be impartial stating that they are taking the sides in this debate? They should be staying out of this completely. Report on what’s happening, brilliant! Do what you’re supposed to do. Judging that these guys have always been a free service to the British public, why should they care?
The BBC has never been FREE. They put a gun to your head and say “pay a TV licence or we’ll send bailifs and attempt to get you jailed”
They are all horrible dirty scumbags who should have absolutely no say in this.
and earlier member made a really good point that the carrier should not be held accountable for the actions of it’s users.
Just like BT don’t get sued when politicians and big businessmen have discussions on how exactly they’re going to screw over consumers this week on thier weekly conference call.
Just like royal mail don’t get sued when they unwittingly deliver anthrax in a letter.
These scenario’s are fictional however the message is very real.
Let the police do the policing.
Bull , I work from home , my wife works at home 2 days a week , guess what , we BOTH have to use a VPN to connect to the work networks while we are here , I have to transfer large files to edit every day and re-upload the resulting edit.
That’s some logic there BBC.
Why not go ahead and assume them enemy of the state and condone executions all together? What’s next 1984, oh wait it has already began.