"We have set up a team to identify illegal music sites in cooperation with music industry parties," minister of communications and information Tifatul Sembiring said here on Wednesday.
He said until now his side had been able to identify minimally 20 illegal music sites following complaints from various parties including music industry communities that have demanded the closure of the sites.
Among the illegal sites identified so far are www.mp3bos.com, www.mp3gratis.net, www.mp3lagu.com, www.mp3bear.com, www.plasamusic.com, www.gudanglagu.com, and trendmusic.com.
"Our target this year is educating and improving awarenss and literacy of the people which is to be followed by law enforcement. In the next six months we will conduct closures of the sites," he said.
The ministry`s director general of applications, Aswin Sasongko, meanwhile said the team was put under the structural coordination of the ministry of communications and information and involved music industry elements.
He said identification would be done on sites located abroad and at home.
"With regard to overseas sites we would immediately block them temporarily while we would first invite operators of the domestic sites to conduct business communications (before blocking their sites)," he said.
Aswin said 20 illegal sites that had been identified providing music contents for illegal uploading would not be totally blocked if they were willing to conduct business legally.
Some of the sites however have so far been blocked because they have refused the appeal or been difficult to contact and continue to conduct their illegal activity.
(T.H016/H-YH/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
