Mr. Virgin Media, is this a hoax?

For all who don’t know what we’re working on: Tribe of Noise is trying to connect musicians, fans and professionals who are looking for an alternative model for free and legal music sharing.

While we’re working to make music more accessible, more available and to connect with reality so we can create a win-win model for all. There are those who take the repressive approach.

Check out this breaking news that shocked me to bits.

From next week, Virgin Media will send letters to thousands of households where music is either being downloaded or illegally shared.

According to the Independent Their letters will be accompanied by a stern written warning from the BPI, which will threaten both disconnection and a court appearance for those who continue to download illegally.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/virgin-warns-illegal-downloaders-stop-or-face-prosecution-842086.html

I just can’t believe it! Virgin Media and the British Phonographic Industry want to create a 3 strikes and out rule.

Anybody ever read the Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes? Well I think Britain will be in need of a new prisoner colony to relief the overcrowded prisons if they really want to follow this path.

And how on earth are they going to check if the downloaded material is legal or not. Will they breach privacy even further by actually listening to what you have downloaded? How else would you like to differentiate between illegal downloaded material and material that is legally distributed by using creative commons licenses, like on our platform.

We’ve discussed it at length with our legal team and decided it must be a hoax. We just can’t believe that Virgin Media will so flagrantly temper with the privacy of it’s customers.