People who illegally download films and music will be cut off from the internet under Government plans to tackle online piracy. (Daily Mail Tuesday 12th February 2008)
Internet service providers (ISPs) such BT or Virgin Media will be legally required to take action against users who access illegal material.
Under draft proposals to be unveiled next week, users suspected of wrongfully downloading films or music will be first sent a warning email to stop.
For a second infringement they will receive a suspension and termination of their contract if caught a third time.
Broadband companies who fail to enforce the "three-strikes" regime would be prosecuted and suspected customers' details could be made available to the courts.
A similar system already operates in France and the US, and the Government believes it could work successfully in the UK.
The Government has yet to decide if information on offenders should be shared between ISPs.
Six million broadband users are estimated to download files illegally every year in this country in a practice that music and film companies claim is costing billions of pounds in lost revenue annually.These people commonly use a software programme called a torrent, which allows them to illegally share files with other users on the internet. The torrent downloads tiny sections of a song or film file from several different sources making it difficult to trace.
