ISPs to cut file-sharing by 70%

Internet service providers have been told they must help to reduce file-sharing by 70 per cent within a year.

The government has unveiled new proposals to tackle the illegal sharing of music and video files online in its Digital Britain report.

Announcing the details of the document in the House of Commons, culture secretary Ben Bradshaw said internet service providers (ISPs) will be required to cut piracy by 70 per cent over the next year.

He explained that communications regulator Ofcom will be given new powers to measure rates of illegal file-sharing.

ISPs that fail to meet the watchdog's targets will be forced to impose certain technical restrictions on those suspected of downloading copyrighted material illegally.

These restrictions may include caps on download speeds, filtering of content or the blocking of certain websites for persistent offenders.

However, these powers will only be used if softer measures fail to reduce online piracy over the next 12 months.

These measures will involve ISPs sending out letters to illegal downloaders warning them that their activity is unlawful.

Those who ignore the letters will not see their connections severed, as has been proposed in some other European countries under so-called three-strikes laws.

However, they will have their details passed on to copyright holders, who may choose to take legal action over the intellectual property issue.

"Unlawful downloading or uploading, whether via peer-to-peer sites or other means, is effectively a civil form of theft," the Digital Britain report stated.

"This is not something that we can condone, or to which we can fail to respond."

Meanwhile, Virgin Media has signed a deal with Universal Music to offer a subscription-based music download service that is hopes will encourage web users to obtain music through legal channels.