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IFPI demands further website bans in Austria

The Local Austria
The Local Austria - [email protected]
IFPI demands further website bans in Austria
Photo: The Pirate Bay logo

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is demanding that five major Austrian Internet providers block access to sites they claim are used to pirate music.

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After the recent European Court of Justice decision, and the subsequent move to block copyright-infringing websites on behalf of movie studies, the music industry has weighed in to the fight by insisting that five major Austrian ISPs implement blocks on selected sites that they claim encourage music piracy.

The IFPI is a Swiss-based non-profit organization established by major record labels around the world with the goal of reducing the piracy of music recordings.  It claims to have 1,300 member companies in 66 countries.

It has now written to Austrian ISPs, citing the ECJ decision and requiring them to block access to sites which include The Pirate Bay, Isohunt, 1337x.to, and H33t.to.  The ISPs have been told that they must implement the blocks by the middle of August.

The IFPI is buoyed by its recent victory in Singapore, in which it persuaded the government there to pass a law requiring ISPs to block infringing websites.  At the time, the CEO of IFPI said "The recording industry welcomes the fact that Singapore has joined the list of nations that consider website blocking to be a proportionate and effective tool to tackle digital piracy."

"Website blocking is an important way of reducing infringement and stimulating the development of a licensed digital music market. We urge policymakers in other countries to look at introducing measures similar to those set to be implemented in Singapore."

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