P2P systems in a regulated environment : challenges and opportunities for the operator

P2P networks, systems, and applications have been the subject of intensive studies in recent years. They have created new business opportunities, providing a low-cost mechanism for communication and for online content distribution. They have also sparked a spate of legal disputes with adverse consequences for copyright owners, P2P platform providers, ISPs and users. In this paper we consider a number of different aspects of the threats that P2P poses to the operator, and suggest ways in which these threats, might be transformed into new business opportunities. We argue that, thanks to its established and leading role in the provision and management of advanced services, the operator could, in future, be in a unique position to offer managed P2P services in compliance with the applicable law.