Verizon, TWC, and Comcast to Play Copyright Cop for the RIAA

From DailyTech: If you're a customer of Time Warner Cable (TWC), Comcast Corp. (CMCSA), or Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) and Vodafone Group Plc. (LON:VOD), and you happen to also be a pirate of copyrighted content, you may soon find yourself warned or even have your service terminated.

The aforementioned internet service providers (ISPs) have volunteered to be part of a fledgling effort by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). RIAA CEO and chairman Cary Sherman announced the news during his speech to a panel of publishers on Wed.

Traditionally, the RIAA's anti-filesharing efforts have consisted of extorting alleged filesharers under the threat of legal action. In some cases the individuals were clearly wrongly targeted, and the approach was highly technically unsound, given that an IP address did not equate to a personal identity. Thus the approach was roundly criticized.

While the new methodology shares some of the same dangers of false accusations, it will at least be less fiscally damaging to the accused. Supporters plug the program, saying that the only way to truly stop piracy is to kill it at the gate -- the user's internet connection.

That said, significant technical questions surround how ISPs will be able to determine real time streams of copyrighted content being transferred over P2P versus legal P2P traffic.

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