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Broadband surfers accused of adult movie file sharing

Thousands of broadband users have been accused of illegal file sharing relating to pornography.

The German firm DigiProtect sent letters to providers issuing court orders over the alleged
adult-movie downloads made by their broadband subscribers. This has forced the internet service providers (ISPs) to release their broadband customer’s details.

Unsuspecting broadband customers are now receiving letters asking them to pay a £500 settlement fee. The alternative is a court appearance.

The news has had a pronounced effect on many dumbstruck broadband customers, from teenagers through to silver surfers.

Lawyers say they have been contacted by hundreds of worry-ridden broadband customers over the last few weeks. Many refute copying the movies through broadband and claim to have no idea why they were identified in the first place.

A solicitor representing some of the individuals accused told the BBC: "It’s the embarrassment factor. One lady told us she fainted when she opened her letter.

“The cynical lawyer in me would say this is a money-making exercise. "Because it is porn, the person who's being accused won't want to go to court and is more likely to pay up to make the matter go away even if they are completely innocent."

One of the highest profile cases of the broadband debacle has involved a Hertfordshire couple in their 60s who had been accused of illegal file sharing, when they claim to have no knowledge of how to download through broadband.

08/12/2008
Author: CompareBroadbandUK staff writer

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