To get an accurate measurement of the problem

Nov 27, 2009 14:21 GMT  ·  By
Virgin will introduce file-sharing monitoring technology to get an accurate measurement of the problem
   Virgin will introduce file-sharing monitoring technology to get an accurate measurement of the problem

The battle against “illegal file-sharing” is heating up, especially in Europe where it looks like the media lobbyists are well worth their fees. Several countries are planning or debating whether to introduce a 'three-strikes' system for file sharers, and recently, the UK has been the hotbed of activity. With talks of making the system mandatory by law, some ISPs are making some compromises in the hopes it will deter lawmakers. Virgin Media, one of the biggest ISPs in the country, has announced it will test a system to monitor file-sharing on its network. The trial will affect some 40 percent of its subscribers and will use technology from Detica, a technology company which builds specialized networking solutions.

"Understanding how consumer behaviour is changing will be an important requirement of Virgin Media's upcoming music offering and, should they become law, the Government's legislative proposals will also require measurement of the level of copyright infringement on ISPs’ networks. Detica's CView technology potentially offers a non-intrusive solution which enhances our understanding of aggregate customer behaviour without identifying or storing individual customers' data," Jon James, executive director of Broadband at Virgin Media, said.

The company claims that the move is only designed to get an accurate level of the illegal file sharing activity in the UK and all the data will be anonymized. While most users aren't going to take this very well, the ISPs are in a tight spot at the moment. They oppose the introduction of a three-strikes measure, but they must implement some sort of way of countering illegal file-sharing even though it's unlikely they'll meet the government's goal of a 70 percent reduction in activity.

The biggest problem at the moment is that there isn't a very accurate and unbiased way to know the full extent of the problem. Studies backed by anti-piracy organizations paint a grim picture, but have been shown to be very misleading to the point where the numbers are more or less 'made up'. The larger issue, of course, is weather illegal file-sharing is actually hurting the business or if the users should be punished for taking advantage of these methods when their needs aren't met by legal services. No matter on what side of the fence you're on, actual, real-world numbers would only benefit the discussion, even if the method by which they're collected may be a little questionable.