ISPs may be forced to regulate illegal music and film downloads

The Government has repeated its threat to introduce laws to force internet service providers (ISPs) to control illegal music and film sharing.

This week Malcolm Wicks, business, enterprise and regulatory reform minister told members of Parliament that he thought a voluntary agreement would not work. He called them “too ambitious ” but said the Government would continue to have meetings with ISPs, intellectual property holders and consumer groups about the issue.

He warned: “It would be very disappointing if we have to legislate —but nobody should doubt our willingness to do so if an agreement cannot be reached.”

In February this year the Government said it would consider statutory regulation if a voluntary solution had not been agreed by April 2009. There were reports about a three-strikes system, recently introduced in France.

This rule would bar internet access to anyone who persisted in illegally downloading music or films. The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Berr) was unable to say if such a draconian measure would be implemented .

“It would be premature to comment on the detail of any options other than to stress at this stage we have no preferred legislative option," a Berr representative said.

However the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA ) warned that putting any regulations in place would “not offer an optimal solution and could result "in cumbersome regulation."

A representative for the ISP trade body said: “Whilst ISPA recognises the need to combat online copyright infringement, our belief is that the future lies in creating business models that will form mutually beneficial partnerships between ISPs and right holders."