Row brewing over peer-to-peer ads

Music download networks are proving popular not just with an audience of youngsters keen to take advantage of free music but with advertisers equally keen to reach out to a captive audience.

The debate over the legitimacy of file-sharing networks rages on as the music industry continues its threats to close the services down for good.

Meanwhile the millions of downloaders are proving both an advertiser's dream come true and a branding nightmare.

Paul Myers, chief executive of Wippit - a peer to peer service which provides paid-for music downloads - believes it is time advertisers stopped providing 'oxygen' for companies that support illegal downloading.

"You may be surprised to know that current advertisers on the most popular peer to peer service eDonkey who now steadfastly support copyright theft with real cash money include Nat West, Vodafone, O2, First Direct, NTL, and Renault," he said in an open letter to the British Phonographic Industry last month.

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