FAST hits back at EU vote on illegal downloading

Civil liberties should not be dressed up as a rogues' charter, says Federation against Software Theft

The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) has hit back at MEPs who voted against a move to ban suspected file sharers from the internet.

Last week European MPs voted down a proposal to impose internet banning orders on individuals who illegally download content.

But a ban is important to help protect the European economy, said John Lovelock, chief executive of FAST.

““We are disappointed that MEPs seem not to be taking the future of our economy as seriously as the UK government is,” he said.

The UK government is working with ISPs to try and implement a plan for a 'three-strike' system against illegal downloaders.

MEPs said that denying anyone access to the internet conflicted with civil liberties.

But Lovelock said any appeasement of illegal file sharers could seriously damage the creative industries.

“Civil liberties and human rights, including the principles of proportionality, should not be dressed up as a rogues' charter,” he said.

“There is always a balance of rights, but some consumers and businesses are doing their best to kill off some of our key creative industries which employ many people.”

The European vote is not official policy, but it provides some guidance to European governments forming policy in the future.

In 2007 France announced its intention to implement a ‘three-strikes’ policy toward file sharers, plans which are now being discussed here in the UK.