A new report published in Swedish, by the Black Market Watch and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, makes several recommendations on how online piracy could be tackled in Sweden. It recommends the usual ways by requiring ISPs to block torrent sites, but also suggests more unconventional methods such as getting operating systems to block downloads.
The report names Apple, Google, and Microsoft as companies that are in a position to block pirated content on their desktop and mobile operating systems, the report reads:
“Other players that possess the potential ability to limit piracy are the companies that own the major operating systems which control computers and mobile devices such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft...The producers of operating systems should be encouraged, or regulated, for example, to block downloads of copyright-infringing material.”
The authors of the report seem to have taken their inspiration from a stir that spewed up last year regarding Microsoft’s service terms which allow the company to prevent users from playing counterfeit games.
In various countries, ISPs have put up opposition to block torrent sites, in a lot of cases, such as in the UK, they were compelled to block pirate domains by the courts. It seems, however, the anti-pirates aren’t content with this but want to push the blocks deeper and deeper, including into operating systems.
In all likelihood, Google, Apple, and Microsoft will not be happy about this decision if it ever becomes a law in any country, but courts may end up compelling them to implement the blocks.
Source: TorrentFreak | Image via Techradar
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