France unveils anti-piracy plan (BBS News)

I missed this last week, but the French government has stepped into the music "piracy" fracas by creating an agency to monitor file sharing.

Net firms will monitor what their customers are doing and pass on information about persistent pirates to the new independent body. Those identified will get a warning and then be threatened with either being cut off or suspended if they do not stop illegal file-sharing. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the deal was a "decisive moment for the future of a civilised internet".

Um, OK, French president. Whatever you say. Sure, it's just France, but any government stepping into the "piracy" monitoring business is disturbing. On a few levels.

There was an interesting new piece on France and the RIAA on this week's Sound Opinions on Chicago Public Radio today.