Court Orders Irish ISPs To Identify Alleged Illegal File-Traders

The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) won what could turn out to be a watershed ruling in the High Court in Dublin. The decision mandates that six Internet service providers must reveal the names and addresses of twenty-three people engaged in alleged illegal file-sharing. The six ISPs include, Digiweb, BT, Smart Telecom, Irish Broadband, NTL, Eircom and Imagine.

The ruling is the culmination of a six-month operation undertaken by the industry body to stem the tide of Internet piracy in Ireland. IRMA says that it has targeted 23 individuals involved in the alleged illegal distribution of copyrighted music files. It maintains that five individuals are alone responsible for 108,000 shared illegal files, with one individual responsible for 37,500 files. To date the body has prosecuted some 66 individuals, 61 of which have paid financial penalties.

Thursday’s ruling comes a week after trade body the British Phonographic Industry, with the help of IRMA, successfully prosecuted operators of Internet retailer CD Wow for illegally importing CDs and music DVDs from outside the EEA and selling them to U.K. and Ireland residents.

Author: FutureMusic

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