Musicians, fans and online copyright – free event this Wednesday!

Last weekend, international divisions over how to deal with those who illicitly share copyrighted material online began to appear. It was announced on Saturday that Japanese internet service providers (ISPs) have agreed to cut off the internet connection of anyone who illegally downloads files, in plans that mirror France’s Olivennes Bill. Meanwhile Sweden’s Minister of Justice and Minister of Culture have rejected similar plans to disconnect filesharers, stating in an article for the Svenska Dagbladet daily that such an approach is not practical in modern society where Internet access is a prerequisite for so much else. Instead, Sweden will favour a process where rightsholders must prosecute suspected filesharers in court.

The UK government will consult UK citizens on their plans to tackle illicit filesharing this Spring. If you need to brush up on the arguments ahead of time, there are still a few places left at Musicians, fans and online copyright. This event, which takes place on Wednesday, will gather representatives from the recording industry, ISPs and consumer welfare groups together with academic and legal experts to discuss whether ISPs should monitor customers to try and spot copyright infringement, and disconnect downloaders. It promises to be a lively and informed afternoon, so do come along if you can. The event is being held from 1400 at the London School of Economics. It is free to attend, but you must register here.