Move to stop illegal downloads

Last Modified: 12 Feb 2008
By: Bridgid Nzekwu

People who use their computer to make illegal downloads could have their internet connection cut, under new government proposals.

Download movies illegally and you could have your internet connection cut off.

Those are the tough new measures to tackle internet piracy of movies and TV, according to a draft government bill leaked to a newspaper today. But is it workable?

Hollywood knows that distributing films via the internet is a goldmine, which is why the big studios have been fighting scriptwirters demanding a cut of the profits.

Numerous search engines allow people to find films and music they want to download. The problem is that not everybody pays for it.

But while this dispute is all but settled, the movie giants are still battling on another front.

Illegal downloading equates to huge losses in revenue. Numerous search engines on the net allow people to find films and music they want to download. The problem is that not everybody pays for it.

According to documents obtained by the Times newspaper, people who persist in illegal downloading are to be targeted by new legislation.

Under the proposals they would receive a warning email the first time they download without paying. On the next occasion their internet access would be suspended. And it would be blocked for a third offence.

'Data protection legislation actually prevents ISPs from looking at the content of the packets sent.'
Internet Service Providers Association

The responsibility for enforcing the law would fall to internet service providers, who would face prosecution if they failed to comply. But already the industry is suggesting such a law is unworkable.

In a statement, the Internet Service Providers Association told Channel 4 News -

"ISPA does not support abuses of copyright and intellectual property theft. However ISPs cannot monitor or record the type of information passed over their network.

"ISPs are no more able to inspect and filter every single packet passing across their network than the Post Office is able to open every envelope... and data protection legislation actually prevents ISPs from looking at the content of the packets sent."

It is thought there are 900 million music files available for download from file-sharing networks.

Lost revenue from films or other material illegally downloaded will continue to cost the creative industries dear until there's agreement on how to tackle the problem.

The department for culture, media and sport has refused to comment on the proposals leaked to the Times. But it says its strategy has been developed further and will be published shortly.