Madam, – Charles Julienne Jnr (May 28th), exhorts Eircom internet users to move their internet custom to another provider, because, he says the other providers uphold their customers’ rights.
In my home, I control who has access to the internet, using the available security mechanisms, and I expressly forbid illegal downloads, using my position of “he who pays the internet bill”. I do this because to me such downloads are no different to walking into a record store and stealing a CD or DVD. If I buy 10,000 CDs and steal just one, it’s still stealing.
I am an Eircom customer. I will not be receiving any warnings from Eircom, nor am I at risk of disconnection. There is no need for me to move my custom. So who is Mr Julienne really worried about? The music industry, including writers and performers? Unlikely, as he refuses to back a measure that would protect them.
Society at large? I suggest society at large is quite well protected, and Mr Julienne’s outrage is just another storm in a teacup.
– Yours, etc,