ORG concerned at blocking of The Promo Bay
The Open Rights Group (ORG) has expressed concern that some major UK broadband providers are blocking The Promo Bay, a legal website designed to support independent artists.
BT, Virgin Media and possibly several more internet service providers (ISPs) are preventing customers from accessing the site, which is supported by the people behind filesharing website The Pirate Bay.
All major ISPs have blocked The Pirate Bay since being instructed to do so earlier this year by a high court order, which came about after action from the British Phonographic Industry.
Responding to the news, the ORG - which exists to promote and preserve rights in the digital age - said restricting access to a legitimate website highlights some of the issues associated with blocking as a strategy to cut down on piracy.
The organisation has written to broadband providers asking them to clarify exactly why The Promo Bay has been blocked in this manner.
It claimed the issue is more likely to be related to the way blocking orders are working, rather than being down to the ISPs themselves.
However, the ORG stressed: "The site that is blocked is publishing material that is both legal and promoting independent musicians.
"Censoring such material should hardly be a result that the music industry wishes to see."
