UK telecom giant Virgin Media monitoring customers’ file sharing

Virgin Media, the UK telecommunications giant that supplies TV, phone and Internet services, has begun to use deep packet inspection determine if its Internet customers are sharing music or films.

The monitoring system will check transmitted data against a database of copyrighted music and video to spot illegal file sharing.

Virgin Media said the system isn’t keeping track of IP addresses of the transmissions and the technology isn’t designed to catch illegal downloaders, but it could.

Observers have said that the system could be used to implement UK government initiatives to fight Internet piracy by sending repeat offenders warning letters then cutting off their Internet.

Story here.

Thanks Donna’s Security Flash.