The French government has published a decree in the official gazette that removes internet service suspension as a penalty for users found guilty in court of downloading content illegally. Under the new rules, the harshest punishment a court can impose on persistent downloaders is a fine. In the four years since the anti-piracy authority Hadopi was created, only one consumer has had his internet service suspended for 15 days, under an order issued by a court in Seine-Saint-Denis.
Le Monde reports that culture minister Aurelie Filippetti welcomed the decree, calling it a "great victory for all". She went on to say that a "disproportionate" measure has been eliminated as part of the government's "radical change of philosophy" concerning the internet and the digital economy. The minister added that there would be an increased focus on fighting the sale of counterfeit products online.
