Illegal downloaders 'face UK ban'
Illegal file sharing costs the music and film industry millions
People in the UK who go online and illegally download music and films may have their internet access cut under plans the government is considering.
A draft consultation Green Paper suggests internet service providers would be required to take action over users who access pirated material.
Under a "three strikes" rule they would receive an e-mail warning, suspension, and then termination of their contract.
Six million people a year are estimated to download files illegally in the UK.
Music and film companies claim that the illegal downloads cost them millions of pounds in lost revenues.
The proposals are part of a Green Paper - a consultation document issued by the government - on the creative industries that is due to be published next week.
The government proposals were first reported by the Times newspaper.
'Reluctance'
The Times suggested that broadband firms which failed to enforce the rules could be prosecuted, and the details of customers suspected of making illegal downloads made available to the courts.
According to the Times, the draft paper states: "We will move to legislate to require internet service providers to take action on illegal file sharing."
Some of the UK's biggest internet providers, such as BT, Virgin and Tiscali have been in talks with the entertainment industry over introducing a voluntary scheme for policing pirate activity, but no agreement has been reached.
So far, they have failed to resolve how disputed allegations would be arbitrated - for example, when customers claim other people have been "piggybacking" on their internet service.
"No country has actually introduced these rules and internet service providers are likely to be very reluctant," Chris Cooke, founder of music newsletter CMU Daily told the BBC.
Voluntary scheme
A spokesman for the Internet Service Providers Association told the Times it remained hopeful that a deal over a voluntary system could still emerge.
"Every right-thinking body knows that self-regulation is much the better option in these areas," he said.
A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: "Early drafts of our creative economy programme document were circulated to stakeholders for comment."
"The content and proposals for the strategy have been significantly developed since then and a comprehensive plan to bolster the UK's creative industries will be published shortly," he explained.
"We will not comment on the content of the leaked document."
