Should illegal download sites be blocked?

Jul 29, 2011

For the first time, BT has been ordered to block access to a website which provided links to pirated films. Is this the right way to deal with piracy?

Film and music companies have been trying for years to stop illegal downloading and filesharing, but without much success. Now, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) has gone further than ever before, obtaining a legal ruling that will force BT to block the pirate site Newzbin2.

The MPA claims that piracy costs it millions in lost income every year, as people download films instead of seeing them in the cinema, buying them on DVD or getting digital versions through a legal service like iTunes or LoveFilm. It says that clamping down on piracy is vital to keeping creative industries like film running.

But critics say that forcing internet service providers (ISPs) to censor people's internet access goes too far - and might not even work. The ruling only covers one website and will only affect BT customers.

BT already has filtering systems for its internet access, which will be used to fulfil the legal order. However, at the moment these are only used to block images of child abuse, and there are worries that it is not designed to cope with the increased traffic that will come from the new ruling.