IFPI Claims 3X Increase In Legal Downloads

The International Federation of Phonographic Industries has announced that 180 million tracks were downloaded legally in the first six months of 2005, a three fold increase compared to 57 million tracks in the first half of 2004 and 157 million for the whole of last year.

The federation credited the increase to a 13 percent rise in the number of broadband connections worldwide plus the industry campaign to prosecute and educate against illegal downloading. The IFPI also said there was a 3 percent increase in illegal file-sharing to 900 million in July from 870 million at the beginning of 2005.