Musicians oppose disconnecting filesharers

10th September 2009 12:01 | by Philip Hunt

The BBC is reporting that many musicians oppose the government's plans to disconnect filesharers:

An alliance of music stars, songwriters and record producers has spoken out against UK government proposals to kick file-sharers off the internet.

Persistent file-sharers could have their internet accounts suspended in an attempt to crack down on piracy. But Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien, a member of the Featured Artists' Coalition (FAC), said: "It's going to start a war which they'll never win."

The FAC said "heavy-handed" tactics may turn fans away from music for good. The FAC, a pressure group formed to represent performers, has joined forces with the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and the Music Producers Guild. In a joint statement, the three bodies of music-makers said they "vehemently oppose" the plans to punish file-sharers.

This demonstrates that the people pushing for disconnection are predominantly the music industry, not musicians.

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2 comments

11th September 2009 14:38 by SimonRoth

It raises what the music industry is if it is not the people making the music. ;)

12th September 2009 12:33 by Philip Hunt

There are people making music, there are music fans, and historically there have been a group of middlemen between them. The internet tends to get rid of middlemen ("disintermediation" is the rather ugly term used), and that's what's happening to the music industry.

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