[Nettime-bold] [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


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