Bill Thompson comments: "The chances are that I'll be getting a letter from my internet service provider (ISP) in the next few weeks telling me that they've been watching my network activity closely and think I've been breaking the law.

Like almost every technically-competent internet user of my acquaintance I've used BitTorrent to get my hands on a copy of a TV show that I missed, taking advantage of the kindness of strangers who bothered to record and upload the shows for fans because the companies that make and broadcast them choose not to.

However I also go out and buy the DVD box sets as soon as I can. And I don't feel like a criminal, because I don't see why downloading a copy of a show that someone else has recorded should be seen as a breach of copyright while recording it myself onto a DVD is not"

Bill Thompson’s critique of the new education campaign we have launched with Virgin Media was a good illustration of why such a campaign is needed: in drawing misleading analogies between illegal filesharing and taping programmes off the TV he shows that even “experts” get it wrong sometimes.

It’s good that he recognises that the future for consumers, internet service providers (ISPs), and the music community is in developing even more new licensed download services. But it’s naive at best to think licensed music services can prosper without action being taken against illegal downloading.

Let’s be clear about this. We – the music business – do not want to see any customers have their broadband contract cancelled. And if the emails we have received thus far are anything to go by, most people will respond positively to our approach.

But we have to be realistic. Plenty of people are aware that what they are doing is unlawful. Some will note that their ISP is beginning to take the issue seriously and take the advice, but this won’t work for everyone.