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First Portuguese convicted for download piracy With internet piracy in Portugal on the up, it come as no surprise that for the first time in the country’s history an individual has been sentenced to 90 days prison for illegally downloading music. Portimão courts passed the landmark sentence, replaceable with fine payments plus compensation, after a complaint from the Portuguese Phonographic Association (AFP), which was confirmed by João Teixeira, member of the association and director-general of EMI-Portugal. The minimum sentence was passed, according to source, “to set an example”. Paulo Santos, head of the Video-gram Editors Federation (Fevip) also confirmed there are more than 100 official complaints still being investigated in court. According to João Teixeira, despite being “pleased” with the sentence, which he considers a “necessary evil”, “there are other ways of stopping illegal downloads, like written in French law”. “The problem is people know they are illegal, but they also know there are no consequences”, at least until this week, he said. He also said that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are to blame, as well as authors and other associations, though the ISPs are the biggest beneficiaries from illegal downloading as they encourage users to do so”. The effects and financial losses are undeniable, as João Teixeira pointed out, “the music industry is currently worth 50 per cent less than what is was four years ago”. Where concerning videos, Paulo Santos also underlines “a few years ago there were over two thousand video-clubs in Portugal, today there are just seven hundred”.
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