Mandelson vows to cut off serial Web pirates

Internet connections traced to have downloaded pirated music, films or TV shows will be cut off under a 'three strikes and your offline' approach to illegal file-sharing.



Unveiled yesterday, the disconnection sanction will feature in next month's Digital Economy Bill, despite ministers' initial fears it could disproportionately hit families.



However Lord Mandelson has decided that the scale of e-piracy is so severe that serial offenders should see their connection speeds slowed and even suspended for a period.



Before either of the measures, which will both see the state ordering ISPs to invoke technical measures, warnings will be sent to the owner of the offending connection.



To head off concerns that the wrong people could be penalised, not least because technology can manipulate IP addresses, the state will create an appeals process.



And to ease the concerns of ISPs worried about the cost of notifying customers about further action, assuming they ignore the warnings, the government promised to help.



It said it would create a flat fee per notification, payable by the rights holder of the content that is suspected of being infringed, saving ISPs from bearing the full cost of the process.



Highlighting the scale of the problem, Lord Mandelson referred to an estimate from music providers that says only one in every 20 tracks downloaded in the UK is done so lawfully.



He added that education in the value of intellectual property rights should bring about changes in behaviour – alongside building new business models so consumers can download content at competitive prices.



Business is expected to welcome this call to action – like it embraced a supporting plan to simplify and modernise the UK's copyright regime – but some will say the suspension sanction is a step too far. Carphone Warehouse has already opposed it.



"Mandelson announced…a 'clampdown' on detectable file sharing," reflected the Open Rights Group. "Even MI5 disagree with him – they are convinced we will see a rise of a 'Dark Net' of infringers.



"Yet Mandelson seems determined to push forward with his plans for 'three strikes' – threatening to punish people extremely harshly, threatening their education, businesses and livelihoods for a relatively minor financial misdemeanour."