Music biz offers anti-P2P technology

Software tool claims to disable peer-to-peer systems

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is offering a software tool that claims to sniff out and disable peer-to-peer systems.

Dubbed the Digital File Check the software was developed to search a hard drive automatically and block any P2P applications, like Kazaa or eDonkey, from functioning on that machine.

It also deletes any music, film or image that may have been copied or distributed without the permission of the copyright holders.

"Digital File Check is a simple to use tool which will help people stay on the right side of the law," said BPI chairman Peter Jamieson.

"We are committed to working with business to help them develop policy and ensure that they are not breaking the law by illegally file sharing music across company networks."

The BPI is also releasing a corporate guide to file sharing which will be distributed to IT managers to warn them of the dangers. The BPI estimates that P2P systems cost its members £376m in lost revenue in 2004.

A PDF of the BPI's corporate guide can be downloaded here.