Koen G.
10/01/04, 19:00
9/1/2004 Telenet wil klare taal over vermeende muziekpiraten
Telenet ontving maandag 5 januari 2004 een dagvaarding van de
belangenvereniging IFPI*. Daarin wordt Telenet gevorderd om de toegang tot
bepaalde zogenaamde nieuwsgroepen te blokkeren. Via die nieuwsgroepen
downloaden en verspreiden internetgebruikers soms auteursrechtelijk
beschermde muziek ("MP3s").
IFPI wil met zo'n dagvaarding Telenet rechtstreeks aanspreken om actief op
te treden tegen nieuwsgroepen waarin illegale muziek wordt aangeboden.
Telenet erkent ten volle het recht van auteurs om hun werken te beschermen
tegen onrechtmatige verspreiding. Maar de klanten die actief zijn in deze
nieuwsgroepen, gebruiken Telenets infrastructuur louter als een vehikel voor
de distributie van hun data. Telenet doet zelf geen controle op de inhoud
van de gegevens die door zijn klanten worden getransporteerd over het
netwerk. Telenet erkent het recht op privacy en vrijheid van meningsuiting
van zijn klanten.
Als het daartoe formeel gevraagd wordt door de bevoegde gerechtelijke
instanties, treedt Telenet altijd op tegen vermoedelijke overtreders van de
auteurswet. De eis van IFPI om Telenet te verplichten de nieuwsgroepen
waarin vermeend illegale muziek wordt aangeboden te identificeren en te
blokkeren, acht Telenet onrechtmatig. Telenet voelt zich in deze zaak
gesterkt door de ISPA** (Internet Service Providers Association). Alle ISPs
scharen zich trouwens achter dit standpunt.
De wetgeving in deze materie is relatief jong en daar mangelt het. De
concrete toepassing ervan is immers onduidelijk, en dat zijn ook de
bevoegdheden van de verscheidene betrokken spelers (rechtenhouders,
gerechtelijke overheid, internetdienstenleveranciers). Deze rechtszaak zal
dus alvast nuttig zijn om klaarheid te scheppen in deze complexe
problematiek.
Telenet roept alle bevoegde instanties op om hun verantwoordelijkheid op te
nemen teneinde een duidelijk kader te scheppen waarin kan opgetreden worden
tegen vernoemde misbruiken.
*Deze beroepsvereniging groepeert de belangen van producenten, fabrikanten,
uitgevers en verdelers van fonogrammen en videogrammen. IFPI staat voor
'International Federation of Phonographic Industry'.
**brief dd. 6 januari 2004 van Ispa-voorzitter Carl Alloin aan IFPI in
bijlage
IFPI Belgium VZW
Mr M. Heymans
Almaplein 3 B2
1200 Brussels
Brussels, January 6th, 2004
Dear Sir,
Further to our discussions regarding the presence of alleged illegal content
(MP3 files) in Usenet newsgroups, please find hereafter our position with
regard to the liability of Internet Service Providers.
We have examined the legal framework extensively and it follows from our
analysis that providing Usenet content to our customers is legally
categorized as a 'mere conduit' activity: As an ISP we don't initiate the
transmission, we don't select the recipients, and we also don't select or
modify the newsgroup content which is being transmitted (see annex legal
framework).
Since Usenet newsgroup distribution is a mere conduit activity, it follows
that ISP's have no civil or criminal liability. Our sole obligation is to
inform the administrative and judicial authorities of notifications of
illegal content (as stipulated in the Belgian e-commerce law).
As Belgian ISPs we want to stress that we are not supportive towards illegal
distribution of copyrighted material by individuals who are using our
services. This position does however not implicate that we agree on
broadening the scope of the existing legal framework by assuming certain
obligations for which the applicability and consequences to ISPs are unclear
and uncertain. Therefore we would like to propose to set up a joint meeting
with IFPI, the FCCU (and/or representatives of the Ministry of Justice) and
ISPA. We feel the FCCU/ the Ministry of Justice should be part of the debate
on how we can cope most effectively with the proliferation of music piracy
on the Internet. The outcome of this debate could be a Protocol that
describes how the IFPI, FCCU/ the Ministry of Justice and ISPA will handle
future manifestations of illegal content in newsgroups.
We are confident that you will react positively to our proposal to set up
such a meeting in order to come up with a solution that satisfies all
involved parties.
We also regret that IFPI has abandoned the growing path of collaboration and
good spirit with ISPA by initiating legal actions towards one of our Members
in order to try to resolve this issue through court proceedings.
Sincerely Yours,
Carl Alloin
President ISPA Belgium
Annex: Legal Framework
ISPA Belgium VZW/ASBL Diamant Building Boulevard Auguste Reyerslaan 80
B-1030 Brussels Belgium
tel: +32 2 706 80 36 www.ispa.be info@ispa.be fax: +32 2 706 80 02
Bank: GEBABE 210-0047888-22 VAT BE 461 515 409 Registration number 17982/97
ANNEX : LEGAL FRAMEWORK
A. THE ISP ACTS AS A MERE CONDUIT
1. Scope
The ISP is considered as a mere conduit when it does not
.. initiate the transmission,
.. select the recipients;
.. select or modify the information which is transmitted.
Such mere conduit activity applies to any content not hosted by the ISP e.g.
sites, forums, newsgroups, etc. and encompasses the automatic, intermediary
and transitionary storage of the transmitted information if such storage
aims solely at performing such transmission and its duration does not exceed
the time reasonable necessary to such transmission.
2. Principles
.. No civil or criminal liability (art. 18 Belgian e-commerce law, dd
17.03.2003) Such exclusion of civil or criminal liability, in general, (e.g.
1382 CC. or as an criminal "accomplice" by supply of technical means) is
also supported by scholars (exposé de motifs, EU directive dd 08.06.00; A.
Strowel, N. Ide, F. Verhoestraete, JT n° 6000, dd 17.02.01, p. 133-145, "La
directive du 8 juin 2000 sur le commerce électronique: un cadre juridique
pour l'internet"; Robert Geurs (Directeur Général de l'Administration de la
Régulation et de l'organisation du Marché, Service public fédéral Economie),
colloque des jeudi et vendredi 9 et 10 octobre 2003, p.9).
.. ISP has no general monitoring obligations (art. 21§1 Belgian e-commerce
law).
.. The law does not require the ISP to suspend the access of its customers to
content hosted by third parties.
.. Sole obligation: the ISP has merely to inform the competent administrative
and judicial authorities of the received claim (art. 21§2 Belgian e-commerce
law).
The notice and take down procedure does not concern content hosted by third
parties e.g. sites, forums, newsgroups, etc., hosted by other ISP. Indeed,
in this latter case, we consider acting as a mere conduit and being in the A
case.
2. The ISP has to immediately inform the competent judicial authorities of
the received claim (art. 20§3 Belgian e-commerce law) For the time being,
the ISP must keep aside a copy of the content claimed to be infringing in
order to be able to give related proof to the judicial authority when the
latter would require so.
B. THE ISP ACTS AS A HOSTING PROVIDER
1. The ISP has to apply the "notice and take down" procedure (art. 20§1, 2°
Belgian e-commerce law) Such procedure applies:
.. to content hosted by the ISP > take down of such content; and
.. to links hosted by the ISP and referring to content hosted by a third
party > take down of such links (the ISP only acts indirectly, removing the
link, so the content may not be accessed anymore from the links hosted with
such ISP).
C. PROXY CACHING (art. 19 Belgian e-commerce law).
For the proxy caching he makes (i.e. the copies made by the ISP in order to
improve the quality of the communication), the ISP is not liable if he does
.. - not modify the information;
.. - comply with the conditions of access to such information;
.. - comply with the standard current industry practice for the access and
the updating of the information;
.. - withdraw the access to the caching copies promptly when he is notified
that the original information has been withdrawn (art. 19 Belgian e-commerce
law). Attention: this withdrawal concerns the caching copies not the access
to material hosted by third parties!
Bron: Telenet
****
Mr Heymans is zo te zien vree stevig 2004 ingezet.
Eerst fel uitgehaald naar Test-aankoop omdat die hem attackeerden voor cd's
van Helmut Lotti en consoorten en nu zelf flinke klappen aan het uitdelen
richting Telenet. Voorlopig gaat het hier echter nog om klappen in het
'luchtledige' ...
Mr Heymans was ook in het nieuws met radio 1 als verdeler van muziek. Net
zij (IFPI)die de muziekwinkels verdedigen, gaan dan nog het verkopen van
online muziek promoten. Volgt iemand nog?
Die kalkoen was met kerst duidelijk iets teveel gekruid. Mr Heymans weet
precies niet waar eerst klappen uitgedeeld.
Op nog eens op Telenet terug te komen. Die van Telenet zullen zich haasten
om hun eigen klanten in de zak te draaien!!!
Koen
Telenet ontving maandag 5 januari 2004 een dagvaarding van de
belangenvereniging IFPI*. Daarin wordt Telenet gevorderd om de toegang tot
bepaalde zogenaamde nieuwsgroepen te blokkeren. Via die nieuwsgroepen
downloaden en verspreiden internetgebruikers soms auteursrechtelijk
beschermde muziek ("MP3s").
IFPI wil met zo'n dagvaarding Telenet rechtstreeks aanspreken om actief op
te treden tegen nieuwsgroepen waarin illegale muziek wordt aangeboden.
Telenet erkent ten volle het recht van auteurs om hun werken te beschermen
tegen onrechtmatige verspreiding. Maar de klanten die actief zijn in deze
nieuwsgroepen, gebruiken Telenets infrastructuur louter als een vehikel voor
de distributie van hun data. Telenet doet zelf geen controle op de inhoud
van de gegevens die door zijn klanten worden getransporteerd over het
netwerk. Telenet erkent het recht op privacy en vrijheid van meningsuiting
van zijn klanten.
Als het daartoe formeel gevraagd wordt door de bevoegde gerechtelijke
instanties, treedt Telenet altijd op tegen vermoedelijke overtreders van de
auteurswet. De eis van IFPI om Telenet te verplichten de nieuwsgroepen
waarin vermeend illegale muziek wordt aangeboden te identificeren en te
blokkeren, acht Telenet onrechtmatig. Telenet voelt zich in deze zaak
gesterkt door de ISPA** (Internet Service Providers Association). Alle ISPs
scharen zich trouwens achter dit standpunt.
De wetgeving in deze materie is relatief jong en daar mangelt het. De
concrete toepassing ervan is immers onduidelijk, en dat zijn ook de
bevoegdheden van de verscheidene betrokken spelers (rechtenhouders,
gerechtelijke overheid, internetdienstenleveranciers). Deze rechtszaak zal
dus alvast nuttig zijn om klaarheid te scheppen in deze complexe
problematiek.
Telenet roept alle bevoegde instanties op om hun verantwoordelijkheid op te
nemen teneinde een duidelijk kader te scheppen waarin kan opgetreden worden
tegen vernoemde misbruiken.
*Deze beroepsvereniging groepeert de belangen van producenten, fabrikanten,
uitgevers en verdelers van fonogrammen en videogrammen. IFPI staat voor
'International Federation of Phonographic Industry'.
**brief dd. 6 januari 2004 van Ispa-voorzitter Carl Alloin aan IFPI in
bijlage
IFPI Belgium VZW
Mr M. Heymans
Almaplein 3 B2
1200 Brussels
Brussels, January 6th, 2004
Dear Sir,
Further to our discussions regarding the presence of alleged illegal content
(MP3 files) in Usenet newsgroups, please find hereafter our position with
regard to the liability of Internet Service Providers.
We have examined the legal framework extensively and it follows from our
analysis that providing Usenet content to our customers is legally
categorized as a 'mere conduit' activity: As an ISP we don't initiate the
transmission, we don't select the recipients, and we also don't select or
modify the newsgroup content which is being transmitted (see annex legal
framework).
Since Usenet newsgroup distribution is a mere conduit activity, it follows
that ISP's have no civil or criminal liability. Our sole obligation is to
inform the administrative and judicial authorities of notifications of
illegal content (as stipulated in the Belgian e-commerce law).
As Belgian ISPs we want to stress that we are not supportive towards illegal
distribution of copyrighted material by individuals who are using our
services. This position does however not implicate that we agree on
broadening the scope of the existing legal framework by assuming certain
obligations for which the applicability and consequences to ISPs are unclear
and uncertain. Therefore we would like to propose to set up a joint meeting
with IFPI, the FCCU (and/or representatives of the Ministry of Justice) and
ISPA. We feel the FCCU/ the Ministry of Justice should be part of the debate
on how we can cope most effectively with the proliferation of music piracy
on the Internet. The outcome of this debate could be a Protocol that
describes how the IFPI, FCCU/ the Ministry of Justice and ISPA will handle
future manifestations of illegal content in newsgroups.
We are confident that you will react positively to our proposal to set up
such a meeting in order to come up with a solution that satisfies all
involved parties.
We also regret that IFPI has abandoned the growing path of collaboration and
good spirit with ISPA by initiating legal actions towards one of our Members
in order to try to resolve this issue through court proceedings.
Sincerely Yours,
Carl Alloin
President ISPA Belgium
Annex: Legal Framework
ISPA Belgium VZW/ASBL Diamant Building Boulevard Auguste Reyerslaan 80
B-1030 Brussels Belgium
tel: +32 2 706 80 36 www.ispa.be info@ispa.be fax: +32 2 706 80 02
Bank: GEBABE 210-0047888-22 VAT BE 461 515 409 Registration number 17982/97
ANNEX : LEGAL FRAMEWORK
A. THE ISP ACTS AS A MERE CONDUIT
1. Scope
The ISP is considered as a mere conduit when it does not
.. initiate the transmission,
.. select the recipients;
.. select or modify the information which is transmitted.
Such mere conduit activity applies to any content not hosted by the ISP e.g.
sites, forums, newsgroups, etc. and encompasses the automatic, intermediary
and transitionary storage of the transmitted information if such storage
aims solely at performing such transmission and its duration does not exceed
the time reasonable necessary to such transmission.
2. Principles
.. No civil or criminal liability (art. 18 Belgian e-commerce law, dd
17.03.2003) Such exclusion of civil or criminal liability, in general, (e.g.
1382 CC. or as an criminal "accomplice" by supply of technical means) is
also supported by scholars (exposé de motifs, EU directive dd 08.06.00; A.
Strowel, N. Ide, F. Verhoestraete, JT n° 6000, dd 17.02.01, p. 133-145, "La
directive du 8 juin 2000 sur le commerce électronique: un cadre juridique
pour l'internet"; Robert Geurs (Directeur Général de l'Administration de la
Régulation et de l'organisation du Marché, Service public fédéral Economie),
colloque des jeudi et vendredi 9 et 10 octobre 2003, p.9).
.. ISP has no general monitoring obligations (art. 21§1 Belgian e-commerce
law).
.. The law does not require the ISP to suspend the access of its customers to
content hosted by third parties.
.. Sole obligation: the ISP has merely to inform the competent administrative
and judicial authorities of the received claim (art. 21§2 Belgian e-commerce
law).
The notice and take down procedure does not concern content hosted by third
parties e.g. sites, forums, newsgroups, etc., hosted by other ISP. Indeed,
in this latter case, we consider acting as a mere conduit and being in the A
case.
2. The ISP has to immediately inform the competent judicial authorities of
the received claim (art. 20§3 Belgian e-commerce law) For the time being,
the ISP must keep aside a copy of the content claimed to be infringing in
order to be able to give related proof to the judicial authority when the
latter would require so.
B. THE ISP ACTS AS A HOSTING PROVIDER
1. The ISP has to apply the "notice and take down" procedure (art. 20§1, 2°
Belgian e-commerce law) Such procedure applies:
.. to content hosted by the ISP > take down of such content; and
.. to links hosted by the ISP and referring to content hosted by a third
party > take down of such links (the ISP only acts indirectly, removing the
link, so the content may not be accessed anymore from the links hosted with
such ISP).
C. PROXY CACHING (art. 19 Belgian e-commerce law).
For the proxy caching he makes (i.e. the copies made by the ISP in order to
improve the quality of the communication), the ISP is not liable if he does
.. - not modify the information;
.. - comply with the conditions of access to such information;
.. - comply with the standard current industry practice for the access and
the updating of the information;
.. - withdraw the access to the caching copies promptly when he is notified
that the original information has been withdrawn (art. 19 Belgian e-commerce
law). Attention: this withdrawal concerns the caching copies not the access
to material hosted by third parties!
Bron: Telenet
****
Mr Heymans is zo te zien vree stevig 2004 ingezet.
Eerst fel uitgehaald naar Test-aankoop omdat die hem attackeerden voor cd's
van Helmut Lotti en consoorten en nu zelf flinke klappen aan het uitdelen
richting Telenet. Voorlopig gaat het hier echter nog om klappen in het
'luchtledige' ...
Mr Heymans was ook in het nieuws met radio 1 als verdeler van muziek. Net
zij (IFPI)die de muziekwinkels verdedigen, gaan dan nog het verkopen van
online muziek promoten. Volgt iemand nog?
Die kalkoen was met kerst duidelijk iets teveel gekruid. Mr Heymans weet
precies niet waar eerst klappen uitgedeeld.
Op nog eens op Telenet terug te komen. Die van Telenet zullen zich haasten
om hun eigen klanten in de zak te draaien!!!
Koen