Charles Dunstone, the boss of Carphone Warehouse – provider of the TalkTalk broadband service – is refusing to comply with demands by the music industry that he should act against online pirates.
The UK music industry's trade body, the BPI, has asked internet service providers (ISPs) to disconnect customers who refuse to stop sharing music online.
But Mr Dunstone says it is not his job to be an internet policeman, and that the demands are unreasonable and unworkable.
He has also said his company will refuse to work with the BPI, despite threats of legal action.
For years the music industry has struggled with the challenge of digital downloading, and even now is still trying to get to grips with how it can survive in this brave new world of online distribution and sharing.
Talk of record companies moving to a subscription-based model of music distribution, whereby the consumer pays the label a monthly fee for unlimited access to its music, has met with some scepticism – not least from our own dep ed Dominic Dawes, as you can read in his own blog on the subject.
It all looks like a case of too little, too late. The world has moved on.
Technorati Tags: BPI, Carphone Warehouse, digital downlaoding, muisc sharing, TalkTalk
