ISPs to be forced to shop file sharers

Service providers will be obliged to disclose the names of persistent illegal file sharers, under legislation flagged by an interim report on Digital Britain from communications minister Stephen Carter.

They would be required first to warn offenders that they could face action and if they faily to desist the service provider would notify copyright owners. These could then apply for a court order to obtain names and other personal details.

The move would make it significantly easier for content owners to target legal action, backed with good evidence, against the worst offenders, says the report. "International experience of action of this sort suggests that more than two thirds of infringers change their behaviour when receiving notification."

A proposed new Rights Agency would bring different sides of the industry together to agree how to provide incentives for the legal use of copyright material.

The report adds: "This is new difficult territory and we want to get it right. So we will review the impact of any new measures and will not hesitate to examine other options if these do not prove effective."

Lord Carter is due to submit a final report in June. A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Enterprise said there would be consultations on precisely how the legislation would be implemented.