Teamwork - the only way ISPs and rights holders can stamp out piracy

Illegal filesharing is an issue that we - and countless other commentators - have discussed at length on many occasions. While we don't have a definitive answer on how to eradicate the problem, one thing seems clear - if online piracy is to be wiped out, it'll be through a collaborative effort between rights holders and internet service providers (ISPs).

Consequently, it's difficult to see what new Sony Music UK chief executive Nick Gatfield was trying to achieve in an interview with the Guardian this weekend, in which he hit out at ISPs for failing to adequately tackle the practice.

He even went on to state illegal filesharing is being used as a building block for broadband businesses.

According to Mr Gatfield, the best way to stamp out piracy is to stop broadband subscribers from accessing offending websites - just as BT and Sky have done with Newzbin2, albeit only after being forced to do so by court order.

ISPs that argue it is not possible to implement blocks on individual websites were accused by the Sony Music honcho of making "spurious" claims.

Whether or not you agree with Mr Gatfield's sentiment that placing restrictions on piracy sites is the way to prevent people downloading content illegally, we find it hard to understand his confrontational approach to the problem.

Broadband providers aren't in favour of online piracy - the high levels of bandwidth consumed by repeat offenders clog up their networks and potentially damage the experience enjoyed by the rest of their customers.

Sky, one of the country's biggest ISPs, approached the matter far more sensibly in a letter sent to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport earlier this year.

The satellite broadcaster called on the government to encourage rights holders and providers to work together on tackling piracy, which seems to us to be the only way that illegal filesharing will ever be reduced, let alone stopped for good.

Please note that the views expressed in our blogs represent the opinions of our contributors and may not represent the opinions or views of Cable.co.uk. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in these blogs Cable.co.uk cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions herein, nor for any arising losses or damages.