<nettime> [FYI] Mandatory URL Filter System to be introduced in Germany

["Axel H Horns" <horns@t-online.de>]

In 1999 the German section of the "International Federation of the
Phonographic Industry" (IFPI) and the German music collecting society GEMA
have started to push towards mandatory introduction of a URL based
filtering system called "Rights Protection System" (RPS). All ISPs
operating cross border routers (i.e. routers having at least one link
crossing a national border) are said to be urged to install said RPS URL
filter system. Up to now very little technical and political details have
come to be known. According to IFPI the measure is directed to combat
music piracy but potential implications clearly go beyond this aspect. 

FITUG e.V. has prepared a brief "Fact Sheet" which is available via

  ftp://ftp.fitug.de/pub/eu/RPS02.PDF

This paper summarizes a number of available press reports which have
appeared since autumn 1999. 

At the beginning of this year a prototype implementation of RPS was said
to be tested with a supportive Berlin ISP company: 

    http://www.tcpip-gmbh.de/

In May 1999, TCPIP GmbH, Berlin, had been aquired by or had merged with an
U.S. company PRIMUS Telecommunications Group, Incorporated (NASDAQ: PRTL): 

   http://www.primustel.com

See also the press release of TCPIP GmbH: 

   http://www.tcpip-gmbh.de/news/news9.html

It is recommended to have a close watch on said matter. 

Axel H Horns


#  distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission
#  <nettime> is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
#  more info: majordomo@bbs.thing.net and "info nettime-l" in the msg body
#  archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nettime@bbs.thing.net