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Anti-piracy

October 23, 2009

Illegal file sharers in France will face new penalties under the new law, including jail time and being cut off from the Internet.

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A woman sits in front of a computer screen showing file sharing software
The new law has the backing of the music and film industryImage: dpa

France's Constitutional Council has validated a landmark law that will let authorities cut off Internet access to people who repeatedly download illegally, a move that entertainment companies hope will reduce piracy.

The Council's announcement ends the suspense over the law's fate. French President Nicolas Sarkozy had championed the bill and parliament approved it in September, but the opposition Socialists had appealed to the Council to rule on its legality.

The law's opponents say it is a danger to civil liberties and freedom of information, and that it fails to give alleged pirates enough recourse to challenge accusations. They also argue that web innovations would make it possible for illegal downloaders to avoid detection.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy
The Council's decision was a victory for President Nicolas Sarkozy, who had championed the billImage: AP

The Council rejected an earlier version of the law in June, saying the Internet block should be imposed by courts, and not by the regulatory agency Hadopi.

Three strikes and you're out

France's culture ministry estimates 1,000 French Internet users a day could be taken off-line. Pirates would first receive e-mails, and then a registered letter from the government warning of their activity.

If they ignore those, they could see their Internet connections cut for up to a year. They could also face fines of up to 300,000 euros ($450,000) or jail time.

Similarly, account holders found guilty of "negligence" for allowing a third party to pirate music or films using their Web connection would risk a 1,500-euro fine and a month-long suspension.

In Sweden, a similar law, which was closely monitored by France, has led to a sharp drop in illegal downloading, although critics predict the effects will be short-lived and argue it is an excessive breach of personal privacy.

acb/dpa/AFP/AP
Editor: Chuck Penfold