Virgin Media takes fight to illegal downloaders

[sleepyy]

http://filesharingtalk.com/vb3/picture.php?albumid=25&pictureid=187Virgin Media looks set to become the first British internet company to crack down on customers who download music illegally.

Record labels are lobbying for a "three strikes" regime that would see those who collect pirated material disconnected from the internet, and the government is expected next month to consult on how such curbs could be legally enforced.

Music trade body the BPI is working with Virgin on a pilot which could see dozens of customers sent warning letters.

The trial by the UK's largest residential broadband supplier will go live within months and disconnecting customers who ignore warnings, a sanction favoured by the record BPI, remains an option. The trial will also be open to film and television studios.

:source: Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/03/30/cnvirgin130.xml

[antonii]

Why there are so bad people?:cry::) Piracy must live that is the way :yup:

[Oluwa]

So how is this going to work?How are they going to discriminate between legal and not legal downloads? Well Virgin can F**K Off,my subscriptions going elsewhere..

[mbucari1]

So how is this going to work?How are they going to discriminate between legal and not legal downloads? Well Virgin can F**K Off,my subscriptions going elsewhere..good point. I have downloaded CD's that I own just because my CD was scratched to hell. They'll just have to have a blacklist of sources I guess.

[bmick]

they will stop once they realize how many people do they will lose alot of money from disabling everyone that does it just supid idea

[sleepyy]

I believe that there's nothing to worry about it's just scare tactics as always one group pressuring another. I don't think virgin media want to lose customers they just want to keep certain groups happy to look as if they are doing something about copywritten material being downloaded.

More than likely data and ip addresses will be gathered and passed on in the same or similar methods that are currently being used by other Country's they gather ip addresses and pass it on to your isp and other groups.

A few people may be warned and dissconected but i can't see this trial being successful lot ofpeople can protect themselves a little also theres the money issue again with so many different alternative internet providers around. With adsl2 comeing around very soon lots of people won't have to just rely on virgin media.

What's there to say innocent people won't be targeted far as I'm aware not everything on the net is illegal yet those downloading linux stuffs could be mistaken and logged for illegal downloading it's all a grey area and always has been to many people use bit torrent for illegal downloading and it's not the only method for these antis to have an easy time on their frenzy that's just my opinion on what i think i know it may look out of place a few things i have mensioned as i am not very clear on the laws and groups really they don't concern me I don't download anything :).

[Emma1979]

Ive never been a great fan of virgin anyway, i have been with them now for 3 years and can quite honestly say i have hated the experience. The only reason why i have stayed with them is their internet service.
If this does happen, they have lost me for good. :D

There are many different isp's and im sure not everyone will be adapting the scheme.

[Oluwa]

I believe that there's nothing to worry about it's just scare tactics as always one group pressuring another. I don't think virgin media want to lose customers they just want to keep certain groups happy to look as if they are doing something about copywritten material being downloaded.

More than likely data and ip addresses will be gathered and passed on in the same or similar methods that are currently being used by other Country's they gather ip addresses and pass it on to your isp and other groups.

A few people may be warned and dissconected but i can't see this trial being successful lot ofpeople can protect themselves a little also theres the money issue again with so many different alternative internet providers around. With adsl2 comeing around very soon lots of people won't have to just rely on virgin media.

What's there to say innocent people won't be targeted far as I'm aware not everything on the net is illegal yet those downloading linux stuffs could be mistaken and logged for illegal downloading it's all a grey area and always has been to many people use bit torrent for illegal downloading and it's not the only method for these antis to have an easy time on their frenzy that's just my opinion on what i think i know it may look out of place a few things i have mensioned as i am not very clear on the laws and groups really they don't concern me I don't download anything :).

Well let me tell you..they have already shutdown their newserver for binnaries..So looks like they mean business..W**kers

[stoi]

I believe that there's nothing to worry about it's just scare tactics as always one group pressuring another. I don't think virgin media want to lose customers they just want to keep certain groups happy to look as if they are doing something about copywritten material being downloaded.

More than likely data and ip addresses will be gathered and passed on in the same or similar methods that are currently being used by other Country's they gather ip addresses and pass it on to your isp and other groups.

A few people may be warned and dissconected but i can't see this trial being successful lot ofpeople can protect themselves a little also theres the money issue again with so many different alternative internet providers around. With adsl2 comeing around very soon lots of people won't have to just rely on virgin media.

What's there to say innocent people won't be targeted far as I'm aware not everything on the net is illegal yet those downloading linux stuffs could be mistaken and logged for illegal downloading it's all a grey area and always has been to many people use bit torrent for illegal downloading and it's not the only method for these antis to have an easy time on their frenzy that's just my opinion on what i think i know it may look out of place a few things i have mensioned as i am not very clear on the laws and groups really they don't concern me I don't download anything :).

Well let me tell you..they have already shutdown their newserver for binnaries..So looks like they mean business..W**kers

no they havnt, ive just got the room list for 4 rooms,and downloaded something from all 4 and its worked fine

[Chewie]

Well let me tell you..they have already shutdown their newserver for binnaries..So looks like they mean business..W**kers

no they havnt, ive just got the room list for 4 rooms,and downloaded something from all 4 and its worked fineRooms? What sort of usenet are they providing?

[stoi]

well the 4 i tried were

alt.binaries.games
alt.binaries.xbox
alt.binaries.divx
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.complete_cd

but they do others as well, but only 7 days retention so they are not great, but they are still there and you can still download from them.

or are you taking the piss because i called them rooms?

[baksteen]

virgin said they have no plans on doing so yet

[oldfogy]

What some people may seem to be forgetting is that Virgin Media & Virgin Music have one thing in common! Richard Branson....
So it's partially in it's interest to be seen to be doing whatever it can.

However, I most certainly don't spend £50+ every month on music or movies, and that is what they will be losing just from me if they put this sanction in place.
If I lose my internet connection, then my phone and TV account will most certainly be going as well.
I would not let them have the satisfaction of taking one more penny from me.

There are still plenty of other providers around, some of which are also cheaper than Virgin Media.

[psychophil]

I have never been with Virgin :whistling Media.
But some of my colleagues at work are, and they've told me in no uncertain terms that if they recieve a warning letter they will move to another provider.
Have they not learnt from the Sky incident last year, when they lost 1000's of customers.
They say it is to weed out the pirates who use the most bandwidth.
I say it's just scare tactics, but I also think they will make an exception of Little Jonny's parents or Nanny Agnes who allowed their wireless to be compromised, withoout knowing.