PPL believes the Digital Economy Act will help to reduce illegal filesharing and allow members to be paid for their music.

Background
The Digital Economy Act became law on 8 April 2010.

The Act includes key elements such as: tackling online piracy; giving Ofcom duties to assess the UK's communications infrastructure; investing in mobile and wireless broadband; and ensuring a digital switchover, possibly by 2015.

Tackling online piracy is crucial to PPL's members. Consumers will be educated about online copyright, legal action will be made more effective and powers to disconnect repeat offenders are being considered.

 

PPL’s response
PPL said: "Online piracy has hit all the creative industries badly and, within the music sector, especially young bands and performers who are trying to make a living from their works. The Digital Economy Act gives all a chance now to stem the tsunami of free illegal filesharing and so allow the new legal services to flourish which, in turn, will allow musicians and companies to get paid for the use of their music.

"PPL is particularly pleased that MPs removed the flawed provisions in Clause 43 and is fully supportive of licensing models to release orphan works but any extended collective licensing system must be driven by the rights holders."

The proposals to license 'orphan works' were not included in the final Act, but PPL will support revised proposals provided they safeguard the rights holders and prevent abuse of their essential property.