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Tech Watch: Crackdown On Illegal Downloading

(KCBS) - Some of the biggest Internet Service Providers have agreed to crackdown on users who illegally download copyrighted material.

They're calling this framework Copyright Alerts.

CNET Editor-at-Large Brian Cooley explains that the difference between what they've been doing and what they will start doing is that they're going to be giving users alerts as opposed to lawsuits.

"I would expect that would mean they'll be alerting a lot more people," Cooley speculates. "So if they suspect that you're illegally downloading files they'll send you, through your ISP, a notice to cease and desist."

This will go on your record with your ISP so you can get greater penalties the more alerts you receive.

Consumers are angry that ISPs are becoming police against their own customers. Also, if you're hosting a server that allows people to get copyrighted material they could detect that too.

So why are ISPs doing this?

"They want to have as much access as they can and have a good relationship with these studios," Cooley explains, "because they need to get content deals done as they increasingly go into the world of streaming media."

You can hear his Tech Watch report Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:50 P.M. on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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