BT and TalkTalk lose file-sharing appeal
BT and TalkTalk have lost an appeal over controversial measures to tackle copyright infringement online.
The internet service providers (ISPs) had argued the UK's Digital Economy Act was incompatiable with EU law.
The Act will mean ISPs will have to send warning letters to alleged illegal file downloaders, as well as potentially cutting users off.
The creative industry argues that piracy costs £400m a year in lost revenue.
The firms' lawyers said the stricter measures could result in an invasion of privacy and run up disproportionate costs for both ISPs and consumers.
Today's decision was welcomed by copyright advocates.
Christine Payne, general secretary of the Actors' union Equity, called on the ISPs to "stop fighting and start obeying the law".
"Once again the court is on the side of the almost two million workers in the creative industries whose livelihoods are put at risk because creative content is stolen on a daily basis," she said.
6 March 2012 Last updated at 10:09
BBC © 2012
BBC News - BT and TalkTalk lose file-sharing appeal
BT and TalkTalk have lost an appeal over controversial measures to tackle copyright infringement online.
The internet service providers (ISPs) had argued the UK's Digital Economy Act was incompatiable with EU law.
The Act will mean ISPs will have to send warning letters to alleged illegal file downloaders, as well as potentially cutting users off.
The creative industry argues that piracy costs £400m a year in lost revenue.
The firms' lawyers said the stricter measures could result in an invasion of privacy and run up disproportionate costs for both ISPs and consumers.
Today's decision was welcomed by copyright advocates.
Christine Payne, general secretary of the Actors' union Equity, called on the ISPs to "stop fighting and start obeying the law".
"Once again the court is on the side of the almost two million workers in the creative industries whose livelihoods are put at risk because creative content is stolen on a daily basis," she said.
6 March 2012 Last updated at 10:09
BBC © 2012
BBC News - BT and TalkTalk lose file-sharing appeal