Talk Talk blocks customers' access to Newzbin2 file-sharing website

Talk Talk's UK customers will soon find they can no longer access the Newzbin2 file-sharing website.

The internet service provider (ISP) is the third to be forced to comply with a legal order to block the notorious file-sharing site. The first ISP was BT, which was ordered to block customer access to the site by the High Court last October.

The Motion Picture Association then said it wanted all ISPs to follow BT and abide by the ruling to block Newzbin2.

The major ISPs including Talk Talk and Virgin Media had said at the time BT was ordered to block Newzbin2 that they would only comply with the ruling if there was a court order compelling them to do so.

Virgin said there was always a danger of ISPs being sued by third parties if they went ahead without this legal formality.

Not long after this in December, Sky was given a legal order to block Newzbin2 Now Talk Talk has confirmed that it received an order issued on 9 January and it was currently in the process of blocking its customers' access to the site.

"Talk Talk have always maintained that we are not in principle against blocking provided there is a court order," the ISP said.

Mike O'Connor, Consumer Focus' chief executive said the MPA was making the wrong moves and warned consumers would seek other alternatives no matter whether they were legal or not.

"Website blocking only treats the symptoms, not the cause of why consumers infringe copyright. Blocking access to Newzbin2 is short-sighted and will not reduce demand for Hollywood movies.

It is likely now that Virgin will be the next ISP in line to receive legal notice to abide by the ruling.