Doin’ It for the Artists: Sarkozy Backs Three Strikes & No Internet Plan

So, I guess the French have totally stellar internet, and it's mega-easy to illegally download stuff.

Sarkozy is not down.

Sarkozy says illegal file-sharing will cause a complete destruction of French culture.

On November 23, Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France and leader of the conservative party UMP, officially endorsed the three-way agreement that would entail tracking the habits of all internet users. For those users who are caught illegally downloading, three warnings will be sent via e-mail before their broadband would be either suspended or cut off completely.

In an effort to make nice with all this broadband cutting-offage, the agreement also includes an obligation for France's film industry to release DVDs of films six months after their cinematic release rather than seven-and-a-half, as well as an obligation for the music industry to remove copyrights from archived French music, therefore making it possible to play material on all types of players. The idea is that this would make everything more accessible, and you wouldn't have to steal it.

But then again, monitoring all internet usage kind of steps on the toes of some civil liberties, so say some members of Sarkozy's own cabinet.

But then again, the international recording industry is all about it.

Discuss.

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