We have all watched as music and film copyright has been eroded as the digital age has exploded. It’s an emotive issue which touches on elements of human rights, ethics, finances and legality. There is an argument that the modern generation is growing up with a sense that music and film should be accessible to them at no cost. And there is also a fair point that making product accessible allows the best new artists to emerge and prosper quickly. And following this their t-shirt and ticket sales will balance out the lack of product revenue. Whichever way you spin it, downloading material is illegal and there are a variety of positive and negative consequences for both artists and those who profit from their work.

And in June the Digital Economy Act comes into being. This new legislation will see a major shift in UK digital policy that mainly attacks online piracy. And the key element of the act is   likely to have repercussions generally in the Western world. The bill basically allows for the suspension of Internet connections for those who repeatedly infringe copyright (following warnings from their ISP). The entertainment industry has been pushing for this kind of move, and many major studios and record labels will be very happy if it succeeds in reducing piracy.

But how is this going to work? Well if file-sharing is identified and warnings made then the piracy need to drop by 70%. If it doesn’t then technical measures like internet disconnection for individuals and families can be used. Websites deemed as offenders can also be blocked. Indeed, if piracy is related to a business then there is a possible fine of up to £50,000. This is pretty heavy stuff, and it will be interesting to see how strictly – and broadly – these methods will be enforced.

With a new UK government potentially looming and some controversy at the speed that bill was passed – it is possible that some of these elements will be tempered. But either way it is quite possible that this bill will set a precedent for other countries to follow. And one thing is for sure, the entertainment industry will be very happy that some action is being taken. Thousands of film and music makers will also be watching this development with great interest.