UK anti-piracy action to launch

Representatives from the UK’s creative industries, the UK Government and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are launching Creative Content UK, a partnership to boost consumer awareness of legitimate online content services.

The initiative is aimed at reducing online copyright infringement.

Creative Content UK will initially launch a multi-media education awareness campaign by spring 2015. At a later date it will roll out a subscriber alerts programme that will be co-managed and co-funded by ISPs and content creators.

Participating ISPs will alert and advise subscribers when their accounts are believed to have been used to infringe copyright and offer advice on where to find legitimate sources of content.   

The UK government has pledged £3.5m in funding for the education awareness component of the campaign.

Founding partners on the scheme include the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the BPI (British Recorded Music Industry), and the four main internet service providers: BT, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk and Virgin Media.

It also has the backing of BBC; Equity; the Film Distributors’ Association; ITV; the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA); the Musicians’ Union; Pact; the Premier League; the Publishers Association; and UK Music.

Vince Cable, business secretary said: “The creative industries in the UK are one of our brilliant global success stories. We have unrivalled creativity - from record breaking musicians to box office films - that excite and inspire people all over the world. Yet too often that content is open to abuse by some who don’t play by the rules.

“That is why we are working with industry to ensure that intellectual property rights are understood and respected. Education is at the heart of this drive so people understand that piracy isn’t a victimless crime - but actually causes business to fail, harms the industry and costs jobs.”

Sajid Javid [pictured], culture secretary, added: “The Creative Sector is a key driver of the UK economy contributing £8m to the UK economy every hour and underpinning over 1.5m jobs. Copyright is the foundation on which the Creative industries stand and we must ensure it remains strong and continues to support the growth of the sector. 

“The alert programme shows industry working together to develop solutions which support the long-term health of the UK’s creative industries. It will play a central role in raising awareness of copyright and pointing people toward legal ways to access content and I welcome this effort.”

IFTA president and CEO Jean Prewitt said, “Creative Content UK is an exemplary cross-industry initiative that, with government endorsement, promises to help give consumers the safe, legitimate and extraordinarily rich internet experience that they deserve.

“IFTA’s membership of independent production and distribution companies here in the UK and around the globe has been profoundly affected by copyright infringement and we are pleased to participate on our members’ behalf in the effort to expand awareness of legal online sources of content and to educate consumers to avoid online theft.”