Web firms sign up for crackdown on illegal downloads

Published on Thursday 24 July 2008 10:59

BRITAIN'S six biggest internet service providers have signed up to a government-backed drive to clamp down on illegal downloading of music and films.

Around 6.5 million Britons are thought to have downloaded files illegally over the past year and estimates suggest the practice will cost the music industry up to 1 billion over the next five years.

The fightback against online piracy will begin with letters to thousands of the most prolific downloaders to inform them that their activity has been detected and is being monitored.

The Government's Departments for Business and Culture was today due to announce the industry agreement involving the big six ISPs – BT, Virgin Media, Orange, Tiscali, BSkyB and Carphone Warehouse. It is understood that the ISPs have agreed to commit themselves to developing legal file-sharing services and to ensure customers know it is illegal to share copyright-protected music.

Feargal Sharkey, the former Undertones singer who is now chief executive of British Music Rights, the body that represents musicians, said: "This is something of a step into the unknown for the internet providers, music industries and ministers.

"But we can't go on without it – no business can survive after losing as much revenue as the music industry has."