The Bookseller.com

3rd July 2009

PA launches anti-piracy website

16.12.08 Katie Coyne

A website that will allow publishers to generate a notice of copyright infringement with a few clicks of the mouse is due to launch in January. The Publishers Association said that its portal, unveiled yesterday at its International conference, would make reporting copyright infringement straight forward and save time. But it added that the website also had the added benefit of allowing publishers to pool information and identify repeat infringers.

Users input the title of the work plus the url of the infringing copy and the portal then sends a notice of copyright infringement to the ISP. If an ISP has been previously issued with a notice through the website it will identify the ISP as a repeat infringer.

The site is accessible through the PA website and is free for members, however non-members can use the site for a fee graduated according to turnover.

Robert Hamadi, head of e-crime at the PA, has spent 12 months developing the site. Speaking at the London conference he said that the PA had already developed a guide to copyright infringement reporting but it was clear that a simplified method was needed.

Hamadi identified three skills sets needed to pursue a copyright infringer - IT skills, legal knowledge plus publishing knowledge. He said: "Publishers are only paid for the last one. It’s very rare that you will find that skills set in one person.” Hamadi added that the site also gathered “evidence” if legal action became necessary. He said: "Let the data build up if the ISP is repeatedly ignoring notices it will become apparent and that’s the ‘charge sheet’ being written for you."

Patricia Judd, executive director of international copyright enforcement and trade policy at the Association of American Publishers, said: "We are aware that this [internet piracy] is coming like freight train and when it hits us it will be bigger than anything to date." She added: "The information that it [the portal] will provide to the publishers about the action that has been taken against certain sites will be very valuable."

Taylor & Francis, Oxford University Press, Macmillan, Little, Brown, Random House and HarperCollins contributed to the portal's development costs.

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