Innocent web users 'facing file-sharing allegations'

A number of innocent web users are being accused of illegal downloading‚ according to a new report.

As the music, film and gaming industries steps up the fight against piracy, a number of innocent web users are facing allegations of illegal downloading, it has been claimed.

According to Which? Computing, consumers who insist they have never downloaded copyrighted material are being threatened with legal action if they fail to pay fines totalling hundreds of pounds.

It claims that it has been contacted by more than 20 internet users who have received letters from international lawyers requesting compensation of up to £665.

They are accused of illegally downloading video games from developers such as Reality Pump and Topware Interactive, even though they all maintain they have no knowledge of these games.

According to Which? Computing, law firms are given lists of file-sharing IP addresses from a web monitoring company.

Internet service providers (ISPs) are then required to pass on information about the customers behind the addresses in question.

However, it claims that ISPs, by the admission of the Internet Service Providers Association, cannot be certain that the right individuals are being identified.

Sarah Kidner, editor of Which? Computing, said: "The government is basically calling for a crackdown on illegal file sharers, which is fair enough.

"But we've got serious concerns about the process which identifies alleged file sharers and we believe that innocent people are being accused."

Mark Jackson, editor in chief of ISPreview.co.uk, raised similar concerns recently, pointing out that without going through due legal process, it is impossible to tell whether somebody is actually guilty of illegal file-sharing.

"Media firms track suspected illegal peer-to-peer activity to IP addresses, yet IPs can easily be spoofed, redirected, shared over big networks or even hijacked," he explained.