Non-Profit ISP LGfL Will Make Pirate Sites Inaccessible in 3,000 UK Schools
- Non-profit ISP LGfL and PIPCU are taking an initiative to block pirate websites using the IWL database in UK schools.
- The initiative is not court-sanctioned and is voluntary on the ISP’s part.
- London will be the most heavily impacted with 97% of schools in the city being partnered with LGfL for internet connectivity.
LGfL is a non-profit ISP that supplies broadband connectivity to 3,000 schools in the UK. The internet service provider announced that it will block access to pirate sites in the schools, that could see 2 million students being unable to access pirated content. The list of websites will be provided by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit’s database.
Piracy in the UK has become a major issue with authorities taking action against distributors as well as individuals who view pirated content. 93 students have been suspended from the University of Sheffield in the UK for watching pirated content using the university’s Wi-Fi connection. PIPCU Detective Constable Steve Salway stated that he is pleased with LGfL’s efforts to keep students in the UK safe from infringing websites. PIPCU wants to ensure the online safety of school children and its ‘Infringing Website List’ (IWL) will be available to LGfL to block websites.
Mark Bentley, who is the Online Safety and Safeguarding Manager at LGfL DigiSafe stated “By working with City of London police to block its List of Infringing Websites to our community of over two million students we not only prevent children from accessing inappropriate material but also provide reassurance to senior leaders that this illegal activity cannot be committed on the school site, meaning headteachers do not need to fear liability for copyright infringements.”
While a number of blocking efforts in the UK have been sanctioned by the high court, the block by London Grid for Learning (LGfL) is voluntary in nature. The non-profit Charitable Trust wants to keep students safe from pirate websites during school time. The organization will be working with the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU to keep the websites blocked. 97% of London schools are part of the LGfL network which will make the city the first in the UK to experience a ‘pirate blackout’ in schools.
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