Spanish Culture Ministry moves to close P2P illegal download pages

Spanish Culture Ministry moves to close P2P illegal download pages
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By h.b. - Dec 2, 2009 - 9:07 AM
Musicians protested in Madrid on Tuesday against the illegal internet downloads

Minister for Culture, Ángeles Gonzalez-Sinde - EFE

The Minister for Culture, Ángeles González-Sinde, has revealed, in a statement made to the Senate on Tuesday, that as part of the new Sustainable Economy Law, web pages which contain illegal download or P2P links to music or films will be able to be closed without a judicial order.

Internet user associations in Spain and several bloggers have attacked the news, saying that the door to censorship has been opened by the measure. They are particularly angry that it will be the Ministry for Culture and not a judge who will decide on any closures.

Minister for Industry, Miguel Sebastián, has insisted that internet users will not be chased, but that the Government will act to remove the pages containing illegal downloads.

Culture Minister González-Sinde also said no user will see their connection cut, but there are some other reports in the press that the cabinet is to add an amendment to the Sustainable Economy Law which will allow for users connections to the internet to be cut, but here a judicial order will be needed.

Meanwhile, several top Spanish singers, including Rosario, Chenoa and Antonio Carmona, led hundreds in a demonstration in Madrid on Tuesday demanding that the Ministry for Industry take ‘brave and urgent’ measures against illegal downloads of music.
One of those attending the rally said that if nothing was done there would be no music industry within five years.

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