THE British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has received ₤50,000 as out-of-court settlement against twenty-three file-sharers in the UK.
The settlement came after the accused, aged between twenty-two and fifty-eight, signed High Court undertakings admitting they illegally shared files while promising not to do it again.
“We are determined to find people who illegally distribute music and to make them compensate the artists and labels they are stealing from,” declared Geoff Taylor, BPI General Counsel.
This first-of-its-kind action in the UK follows thousands of lawsuits against file-sharers in the US with a few culprits even facing prison sentences. According to BPI, its global campaign has resulted in a 45% decline of file-sharing activities using software such as Kazaa, WinMX, Imesh and Grokster.
The tussle between file-sharers and the music industry has made way for legal alternatives to enter the market. Apple’s iTunes and the resurgence of Napster, with a change of conscience, have allowed music lovers to download legally for a small fee.
“We hope people will now begin to get the message that the best way to avoid risk of legal action and paying substantial compensation is to stop illegal file-sharing, and to buy music online, safely and legally instead.”
© Faras Ghani 2005
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