Virgin: We Won't Cut Off File Sharers; Sends Envelope Saying 'We May Cut You Off'

from the mixed-messages dept

Thu, Jul 3rd 2008 3:46pm — Mike Masnick

After reports said that UK broadband ISP Virgin Media would become the recording industry's copyright cop, Virgin came out denying it, saying that kicking users off the internet was draconian. However, it later admitted that it would send warning letters to people, based on the flimsy evidence used by the recording industry. Now Virgin has started sending out those letters, claiming that it's just sending letters and that there is "absolutely no possibility" that it would ban file sharers from connecting to the internet. That must explain why it sent the first batch of warning letters to people in envelopes that read: "Important. If you don't read this, your broadband could be disconnected." Absolutely no possibility, huh? It's not necessarily bad that Virgin would let customers know that the recording industry had spotted their IP -- but it seems wrong to send out these messages that completely buy into the industry's spin on what that means. And, given how hard the recording industry is pushing governments to make "three strikes laws," that "absolutely no possibility" is looking less absolute and more possible every day.

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Filed Under: copyright, copyright cops, isps, uk
Companies: bpi, virgin

8 Comments

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someDude, 3 Jul 2008 @ 4:35pm

It aint me man
"kicking users off the internet was draconian"

I think that is the first truthful statement I have seen coming from the media "guild"

Isn't virgin the ISP somehow connected to virgin the media holder ?
Assumming so, is it any suprise that they talk out of both sides of their mouth ?

Also, I'm sure the folks at virgin realize that it is easy to spoof an IP addr and therefore the whole basis of them denying service is questionable.
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Jason, 3 Jul 2008 @ 4:50pm

Sorry, Miss Jackson...
...I am fuh-real.*

*This statement may actually not apply.
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Justin, 3 Jul 2008 @ 6:20pm

Re: Sorry, Miss Jackson...
Now THAT'S funny. xD
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Jul 2008 @ 10:40am

OOooOOooh! Whaen Corporations start using Karl Rove Tactics, the masses *Heart* Them!
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basicomputer, 4 Jul 2008 @ 5:37pm

Absolutely no possibility...
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Lucretious, 6 Jul 2008 @ 6:00am

sounds like Virgin is simply trying to do the minimum to shut up the music industry types. I can't exactly fault them for trying to make everyone happy and avoid some idiotic sanctions the industry might impose on them.
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Junkyard, 7 Jul 2008 @ 1:15am

I agree with Lucretious
No ISP is going to risk losing market share. They might scream and threaten but they will do everything in their power to avoid actually losing those customers to someone else.
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SomeGuy, 7 Jul 2008 @ 5:17am

Re: I agree with Lucretious
It occurs to me that screaming and threatening goes quite a ways toward losing those customers to someone else...
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