08 Mar 10

Digital economy bill likely to be pushed through before election

The digital economy bill is expected to be pushed through before the general election in May, according to senior media figures.

If industry predictions are right, the controversial measures that will enable rights owners to restrict internet access of illegal file-sharers could become law within months. The bill, which is an attempt to reduce online piracy, will force internet service providers such as Virgin Media to pass on information to the rights holder about users who persistently download films/music illegally. The House of Lords has already voted against one of the most controversial aspects of the proposed bill, although campaigners have complained that they have replaced it with a clause which is just as contentious. The Liberal Democrats added a clause that gives a High Court judge the power to issue an injunction against a website that host a substantial amount of copyright-infringing material. The House of Lords is due to make its final amendments to the legislation before it is passed to the House of Commons in a fortnight. Last year, the Carphone Warehouse-owned ISP TalkTalk, which is the second largest ISP in the UK with 4m customers, threatened to take legal action over the plans. The Conservatives are opposed to the bill.