Illegal downloading of music is
growing, according to new figures released by the UK’s record industry trade
body the BPI.
An estimated 7.7 million Brits are
downloading from illegal sources, accounting for over 75% of all digital music
downloads. An increase in the use of hosting services like RapidShare and
non-UK-based free MP3 sites is to blame, apparently.
Head of the BPI says the short term solution is
for the government to enforce the legislation outlined in the Digital Economy
Act, regarding sending warning letters to persistent, heavy illegal downloaders
– despite his counterparts at American record industry trade body the RIAA
saying this week that “lawsuits don’t work” in the battle to cut down piracy.
"Digital music is now mainstream in the
UK, with much to be proud of” he told
press. “Nearly 70 legal services and a further
increase in the numbers of digital singles and albums set to be sold online in
2010. Yet this growth is a fraction of what it ought to be. Illegal downloading
continues to rise in the UK. It is a parasite that threatens to deprive a
generation of talented young people of their chance to make a career in music,
and is holding back investment in the burgeoning digital entertainment sector.
As the internet becomes central to many aspects of our lives, including how we
access our entertainment, we must decide whether we can afford to abandon
ethical values we stand by elsewhere - that stealing is wrong; that creativity
should be rewarded; that our culture defines who we are, and must be
protected".
He continued: "The creative industries employ two million people in the UK and are the
fastest growing sector of the economy. Urgent action is needed to protect those
jobs and allow Britain to achieve its potential in the global digital market.
2011 must be the year that the government acts decisively to ensure the
internet supports creativity and respects the basic rules of fair play we
embrace as a nation".