Recording industry 'Download Legally' education campaign reaches out to Midem
Cannes, 21st January, 2006
Delegates attending this year's Midem will receive the much publicised free software Digital File Check and Childnet Parent's Guide "Young People, Music and the Internet". Both projects were launched in 2005 as part of the music sector's education drive to help people enjoy music and film on the internet safely, legally and responsibly and have been recently updated.
Digital File Check and the parents' guide "Young People, Music and the Internet" are the latest in a series of music sector education initiatives aimed at raising public awareness of the legal and security issues around downloading online music. Launched in association with the www.pro-music.org campaign and with children's internet safety charity Childnet International, respectively, these projects have reached computer users, parents, libraries, schools and music fans in 10 countries. Many more will join the campaign in 2006.
John Kennedy, Chairman and CEO of IFPI said: "Education has a critical part to play in the development of a thriving legitimate digital music market. At a time when music on the internet, both legal and illegal, is being made available everywhere, people now more than ever need to be armed with knowledge about the opportunities and the pitfalls surrounding online music.
"We hope the Midem delegates will take the time to look at these two resources and see what the recording industry is hoping to achieve through its public awareness campaigns. And if they like what they see, they are welcome to come to us for more copies, whether it be for their kids' school or for a wider network of music lovers."
Digital File Check is a simple tool that aims to guide computer users, many of whom might be new to the world of online music. It helps to remove or block any of the unwanted file-sharing programmes commonly used to distribute copyrighted files illegally. It also allows the user to delete copyrighted music and video files from the 'shared folders' of the computer from where they are commonly swapped illegally on the internet.
The Childnet campaign "Young People, Music and the Internet", supported by the cross-sector alliance of rights holders www.pro-music.org, highlights not only the legal risks of illegal file-sharing but also the problems of harmful content and privacy and security risks that come with many unauthorised peer-to-peer networks. The guide aims to help parents everywhere keep up with the music downloading habits of their children.
Distributed physically through music retailers like Virgin Megastore in the UK or Ahlens in Sweden, computer publications like Computer Easy/ Chip in the Netherlands, or children's welfare charities such as Save The Children (Spain), the software and the leaflet have also been requested by thousands of individual parents, more than 30,000 schools and 100,000 libraries in those countries that have launched. To date, 30,000 digital copies of Digital File Check, found on www.ifpi.org and local partner sites, have been downloaded by individual users.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About Childnet International:
The leaflet has been written by Childnet International in the UK and Net Family News in the US, with advice and support from Pro-Music.
For further information about child safety online see Childnet's s www.chatdanger.com resource which gives advice for young people on a range of online interactive services including Instant Messenger, mobiles, games and chatrooms.
See www.pro-music.org/guide or www.childnet-int.org/music for full electronic version of the leaflet, stories and illustrations. Versions are available for the following regions: "international" and UK, USA, Germany, Italy, Spain, Singapore, Sweden. New countries will be added in the coming months.
About Digital File Check:
The software Digital File Check and its tutorial have been developed by DtecNet Software of Denmark and IFPI.
To download Digital File Check: www.ifpi.org well as the IFPI-affiliated industry bodies in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK. France and Poland plan to launch early in 2006.
For a CD-Rom of Digital File Check: Available in Midem information packs or upon request by email to press-office@ifpi.org (until stocks last).
About IFPI:
IFPI is the organisation that promotes the interests of the international recording industry worldwide. Its membership comprises over 1400 major and independent companies in more than 70 countries. It also has affiliated industry national groups in 48 countries. IFPI's mission is to fight music piracy; promote fair market access and good copyright laws; help develop the legal conditions and the technologies for the recording industry to prosper in the digital era; and to promote the value of music.