Around 7m Brits are using a file-sharing network once a week to illegally download music files, says the Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property (SABIP).
The board estimated that these downloads are costing the economy £12bn (US$19.4 billion) a year but said many of the downloaders were unsure that their actions were actually illegal.
[ Keep up on the latest networking news with our Technology: Networking newsletter. ]
"This report gives us some baseline evidence from which we can develop a clear research strategy to support policy development in this fast moving area," said Dame Lynne Brindley, a member of the SABIP.
The SABIP's report also recommended that consumers should be educated rather than prosecuted.
"We can't expect 12-year-olds to become copyright lawyers before they can switch on a computer, but we can educate people on enforcement and work towards getting the right people caught and punished - wherever they live," said the report.
Whether these recommendations will appear in the Digital Britain report, which is expected to be published on June 16, will remain to be seen. The report will layout strategies for a number of issues surrounding digital entertainment such as 2Mbps broadband for all, as well as tackling illegal downloaders.
The government is currently working with a number of UK tech and entertainment companies, including Virgin Media, on a strategy to tackle internet piracy, which will be published in the report.
Take part in PC Advisor's Broadband Survey 2009
See also: French gov't passes illegal downloads legislation
Get the independent advice and expertise you need to support a virtual workforce.
The increase in Linux popularity has increased the frequency and sophistication of malware attacks. Read this 2 page white paper now to learn how you can protect your Linux environment with real-time protection that is certified by all major Linux vendors.
Download now »
Ensuring acceptable application delivery will become even more difficult over the next few years. As a result, IT organizations need to ensure that the approach that they take to resolving the current application delivery challenges can scale to support the emerging challenges. This handbook elaborates on the key tasks associated with planning, optimization, management and control and provides decision criteria to help IT organizations choose appropriate solutions.
Download now »
A common misconception is that mid-range storage requirements are dramatically different than that of a larger enterprise. Mid-range storage users may require less capacity, but they have similar functionality and management requirements. This ESG paper examines mid-range storage needs and reviews a new solution that adjusts size while retaining value, performance and functionality.
Download now »
Sign up to receive Networking Resource Alerts
Recommend This
