Initiative puts squeeze on advertising revenues of copyright infringing websites

CoLP's Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) identified a "clear and positive trend" from its three month pilot in which it collaborated with creative and advertising industry bodies to try to cut the revenues generated in advertising by copyright infringing sites. It said that advertising of well known brands on 61 copyright infringing websites declined by 12% over the course of the pilot

"Rights holders identified the 61 websites that were providing unauthorised access to copyrighted content," CoLP said. "Once illegal activity was confirmed by analysts from the City of London Police, a formal ‘prevention and deterrent’ process began to encourage infringing websites to engage with the Police, to correct their behaviour and to begin to operate legitimately. Details of those failing to respond to this approach were then passed to a group of 60 brands, agencies and advertising technology businesses with a request to stop advertising on these websites."

"The next phase of Operation Creative targeted the websites that persisted in offending. PIPCU sent out formal letters to domain name registrars explaining that they were hosting websites facilitating criminal copyright infringement under UK law as well as potentially breaching their terms and conditions. Registrars were then requested to suspend these websites until further notice. These sites are now under an on-going review by PIPCU officers," it said.

CoLP said that 40 websites have been suspended by domain name registrars as a result of PIPCU's actions.

"Together we have created a process that first and foremost encourages offenders to change their behaviour so they are operating within the law," Superintendent Bob Wishart of the PIPCU said. "However, if they refuse to comply we now have the means to persuade businesses to move their advertising to different platforms and, if offending continues, for registrars to suspend the websites."

Intellectual property law expert Iain Connor of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, added: "A dedicated police unit to deal with IP crime is long over due and the success of the pilot shows that properly resourced, targeted police operations can have a tremendous effect at reducing the theft of IP and protecting consumer. Rights holders now know that the police will take their complaints seriously which adds a vital weapon to the armoury."