The government is proposing that people who share files illegally online should lose their internet connections. Under the planned Digital Economy Bill, which was read to parliament by the Queen on 18 November as part of the government's legislative programme, anyone accused of illegal file-sharing will be first sent warning letters and may be cut off from the internet.

However, not all internet service providers (ISPs) are toeing the government's line. We recently reported that Talk Talk said that it will refuse to disconnect people accused of sharing copyrighted material unless it has received concrete proof of guilt.

Here is a selection of what Computeractive readers think about the proposal and its consequences.

Only when there's cash involved
If no money changes hands when files are shared there should be no case to answer. Making money out of illegal file-sharing should be illegal and when proven in court the offender’s name and address should be blacklisted by the court to all ISPs.

Michael Lander

No mercy
They are crooks and should be treated as such.

Peter Lane

Keep out of our lives
The government should keep its nose out of other people’s lives and what they do, because file sharing is not illegal if the person keeps the file for their own use. If they put it on a disc and sell it, it is then illegal.

This country is a democracy, not a dictatorship. The government cannot tell the people what to do. It is the people who tell the government what to do because we elect them.

The government tried to do the same thing when the cassette tape, video tape and the compact disc came on the market - we were told that if we copied music and TV programmes using these we would be put in jail for copying, but they could not do it.

So the idiots in government should get their own houses in order before they dictate to the people.

John Tobin

Cut them off
Confirmed illegal file-sharers should be disconnected for a preset time.

Y Steadman

It's stealing, but...
I have to agree that file-sharing is stealing. However the entertainment industry is not averse to sharp practice and as long as they charge different prices in different regions and have other restrictive practices I have no sympathy for them.

Ian Alexander

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