The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, whose
board members include executives at Intel, Apple and Qualcomm, has endorsed the
ISP-backed"six strikes" initiative for educating/warning Web users about
online piracy.
Calling digital piracy serious problem -- 25% of the bits on
the Internet are infringing, according to the group -- ITIF labeled the effort
a small step, but one that makes "considerable improvements over the
status quo without altering due process or violating the privacy of lawful
users."
The initiative, backed by major ISPs Comcast, Time Warner
Cable, Cablevision, AT&T and Verizon, through the Center for Copyright
Information (CCI) consortium, consists of a series of alerts to customers when
they illegally access content via peer-to-peer networks, with those alerts eventually
warning of stronger ISP measures like slowing traffic or redirecting users who
continue to infringe.
CCI executive director Jill Lesser has said that while
consumers will get notice of the implementation, most consumers won't get
alerts and may not be aware of the program because they are not engaging in
peer-to-peer file sharing. The alerts are only about peer-to-peer sharing and
not other types of piracy, although the effort could be expanded.
