Digital Britain: Government vows to cut illegal file-sharing by 70%

The Government has stopped short of ordering ISPs to cut off users who are found to have unlawfully shared files online. Record label trade body the BPI accused the Government of 'digital dithering' because of its refusal to adopt that policy.

"Evidence shows that the Government’s ‘write and then sue’ approach won't work," said BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor. "And Government appears to be anticipating its failure by lining up backstop powers for Ofcom to introduce technical measures later. This digital dithering puts thousands of jobs at risk in a creative sector that the government recognises as the driver of the digital economy."

The Digital Britain report said that its approach would work. "There is evidence that most people who receive a notification stop unlawful file-sharing. This is backed up by survey results which found significant numbers of people say they would stop or significantly reduce their file-sharing activity upon receipt of a notification," it said.

Technology lawyer Struan Robertson of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind OUT-LAW.COM, said that the Government's approach had common sense on its side.

"Though I would be concerned if the Government was pinning all its hopes on reducing unlawful file-sharing by the very ambitious 70%, I think its first proposals for dealing with the problem are sensible. They at least force all serious action through the existing courts system," he said.

"The powers it will grant Ofcom to force ISPs to interfere with connections could be more of a worry, and there would need to be safeguards in place to ensure that the measures are fair and balanced," said Robertson.

The report will be the basis of Government's policy in digital media, telecoms and information infrastructure, it said.

"Digital Britain is about giving the country the tools to succeed and lead the way in the economy of the future," said Prime Minister Gordon Brown. “This report shows how we will ensure we have a world-class digital and communications infrastructure, that we promote and protect talent and innovation in our creative industries, that we modernise our TV and radio frameworks and support local news."