Plan Unveiled To Fight Online Piracy

The UK record label's association BPI has reached a "groundbreaking" agreement with major internet service providers and the Government to help significantly reduce illegal filesharing.

Six of the UK's largest net providers have struck a deal with the music industry which will see thousands of letters sent to net users suspected of illegally sharing music.

However, the music industry wants those who repeatedly flout music laws to have their internet servive cut off - something that web firms are not prepared to do - saying that it is not their job to act as 'policemen'.

BT, Virgin, Orange, Tiscali, BSkyB and Carphone Warehouse have all signed up to the deal.

The plan will see the firms working towards a "significant reduction" in illegal sharing of music.

Chief Executive of British Music Rights said the plan was a "first step" in "what we all acknowledge is going to be quite a long process".

The six internet service providers are understood to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) drawn up by the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR).

The BPI, formerly known as the British Phonographic Industry, says that the Motion Picture Association of America has also signed up.

BPI Chief Executive Geoff Taylor said: "Government has played an important role in bringing all parties together to arrive at this point, but the work really begins now. We look forward to creating the procedures necessary to effectively tackle repeated unlawful filesharing with the other signatories and Ofcom."

Mr Taylor added that the MOU will "create an environment in which such new digital service models can flourish".

Up until now, the BPI has called for a "three strikes" system which would see the connections of persistant 'pirates' terminated if they ignored warnings.

It is estimated that six million people illegally download files every year.

(DS)