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AT&T won?t solely rely on RIAA claims

by on26 March 2009

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Won’t shut ISP users down, it says

In possibly the least credible story of the day a Senior Executive Vice President at AT&T has pledged to stand behind AT&T ISP customers in the event of a Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) allegation of violation by one of their customers. 

Jim Cicconi, the AT&T executive, spoke at the Leadership Digital Music Summit that AT&T and asserted that AT&T is not in league with the music industry enforcement agency when it comes to enforcing music piracy charges by the RIAA. To quote Cicconi: "AT&T is not going to suspend or terminate anyone's policy without a court order."

However, in the same speech Cicconi told the conference attendees that AT&T has started issuing warning notices to its ISP customers who are accused of music piracy by the RIAA. This has been confirmed by the RIAA, which represents the four largest music labels. The RIAA issued an announcement in December that it is receiving cooperation from several large Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Included in that list were AT&T, Cox Communications and Comcast.

The RIAA is encouraging the use of a graduated warning response program by ISPs, including phone calls and then suspension or termination of the ISP service for repeat offenders. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 requires ISPs to send letters to customers accused of violating copyright provisions by the RIAA. An AT&T representative said that AT&T has begun sending its own "cover letter" informing customers that AT&T had the right to terminate their service, along with the RIAA's cease and desist notice. 

An executive at the same conference said that Comcast has already sent 2 million notices to ISP customers. The RIAA has indicated that it believes graduated responses should end in a temporary suspension of the account for non-compliant offenders. AT&T’s Cicconi claims that AT&T will only send notices and that for more to occur, the content owner needs to get a court order from a judge. However, Cicconi told the conference that “We…send notices and keep track of violations and IP addresses."

So, in other words, AT&T will collect and maintain all of the evidence, but the court order needs to be sought by the RIAA. While they may not want to shut off the user’s Internet access because it’s bad for business, they are providing the means for someone else to do so. Sounds like double speak to us.

Last modified on 26 March 2009
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