[Infowarrior] - AT&T first to test RIAA antipiracy plan

[Richard Forno]

AT&T first to test RIAA antipiracy plan
by Greg Sandoval
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10203799-93.html

Update: Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. PDT: To include quotes from AT&T and  
information about Comcast and Cox.

Update: Wednesday 10:37 a.m. PDT: To include statement from AT&T  
spokeswoman who wished to correct what she had previously said. She  
says now that the company asserts in the letters that it has the right  
to terminate a policy.She said, however, the company has no intention  
of doing so.

AT&T, one of the nation's largest Internet service providers,  
confirmed on Tuesday the company is working with the recording  
industry to combat illegal file sharing.

At a digital music conference in Nashville, Tenn., Jim Cicconi, a  
senior executive for AT&T, told the audience that the ISP has begun  
issuing warning notices to people accused of pirating music by the  
Recording Industry Association of America, according to one music  
industry insider who was present.

Early Wednesday morning, an AT&T spokeswoman confirmed that Cicconi  
made the statements.

In December, the RIAA, the lobbying group of the four largest  
recording companies, announced the group would no longer pursue an  
antipiracy strategy that focused on suing individuals, but rather  
would seek the help of broadband providers to stem the flow of pirated  
content. The RIAA said an undisclosed number of ISPs had agreed to  
cooperate but declined to name them. In January, CNET News reported  
that AT&T and Comcast were among the group.

Sources told CNET on Wednesday that a Comcast executive confirmed that  
the nation's second largest ISP is working with the RIAA. At the same  
Nashville conference where Cicconi spoke, the Comcast exec said the  
ISP has sent 2 million warning notices to customers accused of  
infringement by entertainment companies. The sources have also  
confirmed that Cox is a member. (You can read more about that here:  
"Comcast, Cox join RIAA antipiracy campaign.")

Representatives of the RIAA could not be reached for comment.

Cicconi told attendees of the Leadership Music Digital Summit that the  
notices, which are sent via e-mail, are part of a "trial." AT&T wants  
to test customer reaction, he said. It was unclear Tuesday evening if  
AT&T had included any threats to suspend or shut off service.

The RIAA had said that under its "graduated response" plan, repeat  
offenders faced the possibility of their ISP suspending or terminating  
service--at least temporarily. Managers for the organization have also  
said they support due process to protect people from being falsely  
accused.

Reached Wednesday morning, Claudio Jones, an AT&T spokeswoman, said  
the company's letters do include a mention that company retains the  
right to terminate service. She wanted to make it clear that AT&T has  
no intention of doing so, however. Jones also said the ISP never  
shares customers' names or any other personal information. What the  
company does do is send a "cover letter" to the accused customer along  
with the letter the ISP received from the RIAA stating that the  
person's IP address was flagged. AT&T goes on to tell the accused  
customer that the problem may be caused by a teenager in house may be  
illegally downloading or that the customer might have an insecure  
Internet connection and that someone could be using it to steal content.

The ISP also informs the customer that downloading unauthorized copies  
is illegal and should be prevented. As for chronic offenders, Jones  
was less specific but said: "We can't assume that people are stealing.  
All we know is that they are using a lot of bandwidth. We can't be the  
police or the copyright enforcer...that's up to the content owner."

All the activity going on with AT&T, Comcast, and Cox is likely the  
first stage in what promises to be a long and drawn out process of  
using ISPs to help protect copyright material.

ISPs have traditionally tried to stay out of the fray between the big  
entertainment companies and those who download music illegally. They  
remain squeamish about the possibility of alienating customers,  
according to music industry sources. The ISPs also don't like plans  
that call for them to cut off access and chase away a source of income.


Greg Sandoval covers media and digital entertainment for CNET News. He  
is a former reporter for The Washington Post and the Los Angeles  
Times. E-mail Greg.