Washington, D.C.— Future of Music Coalition (FMC), a national non-profit research, education and advocacy organization for musicians, has long championed thoughtful policies to protect intellectual property that take into consideration the needs of the independent creator community. The voluntary “graduated response” policy adopted by America’s largest Internet Service Providers includes provisions to inform and educate internet users of activities that may be deemed as infringing, while outlining “mitigation measures” to deter continued unlawful behavior.

The following statement can be attributed to FMC Deputy Director Casey Rae-Hunter:

“Protecting intellectual property online is important to the establishment of a legitimate digital music marketplace that rewards both musicians and fans. While it is too early to tell whether a graduated response policy will have any measurable effect on the unauthorized distribution of music files, the framework does seem to strike an appropriate balance between access to a crucial communications platform and the need to protect the rights of artists.

“Today’s announcement of an agreement between the biggest ISPs and content industry is significant, but doesn’t tell the whole story about creators and the internet. There is still more to be done to ensure that musicians can benefit from digital technologies to grow and sustain their careers. The ability for artists to reach audiences directly and participate in new and innovative business models is crucial to the future of music. Any sensible policy around copyright online would provide protections to creators while keeping the internet open for access and innovation. We hope that this is the case with these agreements.”