AgCom fights piracy with notice and take down strategy
Computer piracy, which is seriously damaging the film and music industries, will soon be thwarted by new measures. Communications authorities AgCom have approved a draft law regarding copyright, based on notice and take down, which stipulates the removal of illegal content and blocked access to a domain if removal does not take place within 48 hours.
The draft will undergo two months of examination by industry professionals, who can suggest modifications before the law is passed in 2011.
Copyright defenders will be able to request the immediate removal of illegally distributed files. Two days after the request, AgCom will ascertain the abuse and block, in part or entirely, access to the domain accused of irregular activity, probably requesting judicial authorities to step in. Also being drafted are the accompanying pecuniary sanctions (an average €12,000 for every infraction).
There will be no consequences for users, even in cases of file sharing. A series of actions will furthermore favour the spreading of a "copyright culture”, such as the promotion of a wide offering of legal content and the possibility to use collective licenses.
Paolo Ferrari, president of Confindustria Cultura Italia, expressed his satisfaction. "These measures are very much appreciated and have been anticipated for some time by the entire section, in keeping with market changes and within a European community that is sensitive and attentive to the needs of protecting and supporting the nascent e-content markets".
The most illegally downloaded films in Italy are Giuseppe Tornatore’s Baaria [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (600,000 downloads, according to Fapav) and Michele Placido’s Il Grande Sogno [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (300,000).
According to 2008 data from Tera Consultants, the financial damages incurred from piracy were estimated at €9.9bn of lost revenue in 27 EU countries and the loss of 186,400 jobs. In the same year, in Italy, the figures were estimated at €1.4bn and 22,400 lost jobs, in UK €1.4bn, in France and Spain €17bn and in Germany €1.2bn.
(Translated from Italian)
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