Downloading tunes fairly and lawfully with Virgin Media

Virgin Media’s fibre optic cable broadband brings you the Internet the way it’s meant to be. Fast, easy, and unlimited. So when it comes to downloads, it’s perfect for the job.

Songs can appear on your computer in seconds – and whole albums in under a minute. So pair it up with music download services, like iTunes or Virgin Media downloads, and your computer turns into the world’s biggest jukebox. You can find more download services at www.pro-music.org.

Most importantly, when you’re using official download services like these, you know you’ll be downloading fairly and lawfully. That’s because they work with the music industry to make sure that the artists and record companies get the copyright royalties they deserve – so they can carry on creating new music. But that’s not the case with all downloads on the Internet...

Over the last few years, sharing music between computers has become more popular. This usually happens using ‘peer to peer’ software, like BitTorrent and Limewire, which lets people share files (like music and video) with other Internet users. In many cases, this means music and movies are being shared without the permission of the copyright holder.

That’s important – because it’s unlawful to share (either to download or upload) music without the permission of the copyright holder. If you do, action could be taken against you.

So that’s why we’ve put together some tips to help you make sure you act fairly and lawfully when you download music:

1. Are you the only person who uses the Internet in your home?

   If other people use the Internet connection in your house, you might want to check with them whether they’re unlawfully sharing files over the internet. It’s also worth making sure you and they are aware of copyright issues surrounding peer-to-peer software. If the other users are children, a handy guide has been put together by Childnet, particularly for parents. Click here to take a look.

2. Is your computer secure?

   In some cases, computers may not be secure, and peer-to-peer software can be installed without you knowing. To make sure you’re not affected, we recommend you protect yourself with our free PC protection software, PCguard.

   And you can check there’s no peer-to-peer software on your computer by using a programme called ‘Digital File Check’. (Just so you know, this is not supplied by Virgin Media and we therefore cannot offer you technical support on its use)

3. Do you use a wireless connection?

   If you have a wireless network in your home, it’s possible that it can be used by anyone with a wireless-enabled computer. If you’ve got the Virgin Media wireless kit this shouldn’t be a problem. But if you’re using wireless equipment from any other company, we recommend you check the manufacturer’s manual to find out how to keep your network secure.

So, what’s Virgin Media’s role when it comes to music sharing?

We want to make sure that our customers are acting fairly and lawfully. So that’s why we’re working with the BPI (www.bpi.co.uk) – they represent the record labels in the UK. We are working with the BPI to contact Virgin Media customers to make them aware of the issues and offer further information to help make sure their enjoyment of music doesn’t damage the copyright holder’s rights.

Just so you know, we won’t provide any information about our customers to any third party, including the BPI, unless we are required to do so with a court order. All we’re doing right now is working with the BPI to help our customers understand more about the issues of unlawful file sharing.

To see copies of the sample letters from Virgin Media and the BPI, just click the links below:

• Virgin Media letter
• BPI letter

Where can I find out more?

We suggest taking a look at www.pro-music.org for more information about sharing and copyright on the Internet.

Or visit the BPI website at http://www.bpi.co.uk