Mobile Phone Blog:

Well, it’s a story that’s been all over the internet over the weekend, but Charles Dunstone, head of Carphone Warehouse (and therefore, TalkTalk, Carphone’s broadband provider), has basically stated that the British music industry can bring it on, in their fight to stop file sharers downloading and sharing music.

As a bit of background, the BPI, the body who are pushing the ISP’s to operate a “3 strikes policy”, whereby if users are caught downloading or sharing music, 3 times, then they get disconnected from the internet. As in totally disconnected.

According to the BBC, Dunstone, of Carphone Warehouse has stood for their users, saying, “Our position is very clear, we are the conduit that gives users access to the Internet, we do not control the Internet nor do we control what our users do on the Internet. I cannot foresee any circumstances in which we would voluntarily disconnect a customer’s account on the basis of a third party alleging a wrong doing.”

He’s also stated that Carphone Warehouse will do everything, and fight tooth and nail, to protect the rights of its users, using legal means if necessary.

Pretty categorical, eh…?

TalkTalk’s view is essentially that their job is not to police the internet. And they see it as the BPI wanting to shift the problem of piracy onto ISP’s rather than change their own business model, to deal with changes in technology. According to The Times, Dunstone also said it “is like trying to prosecute the bus company that takes a shoplifter to the shops.”

And that got us thinking…

What other examples can we come up with?

Well, it’s like Everest Double Glazing getting prosecuted for supplying the window a burglar climbs through. Or it’s like Next getting prosecuted for supplying the suit a bloke who commits fraud wears when at work.

My personal favourite though is this one:

It’s like a company that makes plastic pots getting sued for the Pot Noodles that come in them tasting like rat droppings.

Oh, and if you haven’t noticed, I’m on Carphone Warehouse’s side in this little argument. It’s yet another part of modern Britain’s attempt to criminalise the little people, whilst letting the big, massive crimes go un-investigated.

And I know people are going to whinge,  saying I download stuff, but the fact is, I don’t, and I wouldn’t know a BitTorrent if one landed on me. The whole 3 strikes thing doesn’t affect me, as I’ve never downloaded anything, but… let’s face it, how can anyone take the BPI seriously when their spokesman is Feargal Sharkey?!

How can someone who was a punk now be fighting for the side of the fascist oppressors (an example of the kind of punk phrase popular among Sharkey’s fans, I think you’ll find)?! He says that musicians won’t write music if they don’t get royalties, but by the same token, DECENT MUSICIANS WON’T GET ROYALTIES IF YOU LOT KEEP RELEASING TIRED, SOUL-LESS TRIPE DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR! STOP RELEASING WESTLIFE AND DANCE BOBBINS, AND RELEASE SOME PROPER MUSIC, AND PEOPLE MIGHT FEEL MORE INCLINED TO PAY FOR IT.

And, anyway, despite what John Peel said, The Undertones were rubbish.

Want to join in the debate? Leave us a comment and have your say!