UK ISPs block access to pirate sites

UK internet service providers (ISPs) have begun blocking access to two sites accused of breaking copyright laws.

The blocks are in response to a court order won by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) against the websites Movie2K and Download4All, which enable users to download recently released films.

The UK's largest ISPs – BT, Virgin, Talk Talk, Sky and EE – are all believed to have complied with the order to stop their customers reaching the sites.

However, activists have set up a copy of the Movie2K website in a bid to get around the restrictions, according to the BBC.

According to TorrentFreak, the pro-piracy PirateReverse group has created a copy of Movie2K that people can access if they cannot get through to the main site.

The MPA’s action brings to six the number of sites that music and movie makers have blocked using court action.

In February, UK ISPs were ordered to block access to three sites: Kickass Torrents, H33T and Fenopy, which the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) said were aiding piracy.

In May 2012, UK ISPs were told to block access to the Pirate Bay website that shares links to copyrighted material.

The BPI is expected to seek to block many more sites after publishing a list of 25 domains it says are involved in pirating popular music. Included in the list are sites such as Grooveshark, Isohunt, Filestube and Monova.

The list is being shared among music and recording companies to find out if any have licensed music to the sites.

Image: Liako/Flickr