France to legalize P2P file sharing?

In a stunning move, Socialist lawmakers in the National Assembly Thursday night inserted an amendment in an anti-piracy bill that would establish a low-cost license allowing sharing of music and film files.

"We are trying to bring the law up to date with reality," co-author Patrick Bloche told reporters in Paris. "It is wrong to describe the 8 million French people who have downloaded music from the Internet as delinquents."

The move is certain to raise the ire of the entertainment industry, which considers peer-to-peer swapping to be copyright infringement. The New York Times predicted the plan would face tough sledding next month as it faces the next round of debate.

The Times noted Friday that the additions were approved with only 10 percent of the Assembly members present.

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