UK's Ofcom 'Could Play Constructive Role in Solving Illegal File-Sharing'
Date : 2008 07 07 Category : Web News
Head of the regulatory body for UK communications industries hopes for a "commercial or voluntary agreement," but also suggests that more drastic action could be taken to "resolve these difficult issues."
Ed Richards, current head of the UK's Office of Communications (Ofcom), which was established by the Office of Communications Act 2002 to be the "regulator for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services," recently gave a speech at the Intellect Conference that seemed to hint at possible government intervention by his office in the file-sharing problem if ISPs fail to adequately address it.
It's no secret that the UK govt has threatened to force ISPs to combat illegal file-sharing unless they do so voluntarily, but this is the first time that Ofcom, a regulatory body much like our Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has also threatened to intervene.
He comments:
Let me take one example. The current debate around illegal downloading online.