Albanel announces new consultation on internet distribution

French minister of culture Christine Albanel has announced the launch of a major consultation on distribution of content over the internet.

Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival this week, Albanel said that the second step of the law recently passed to create a new authority for the distribution of content and protection of rights on the internet (the Haute Autorité pour la Diffusion des Œuvres et la Protection des Droits sur Internet or HADOPI), with the power to cut off the internet access of those who persisted in infringing copyright, was to offer attractive ways of downloading films legally.

Albanel said that France was determined to protect the rights of authors. She also said that new measures would be proposed later this year covering the regulation of film in France.