We've already started to get reports that at least one ISP has thrown users off their service for file sharing copyright material. Now a number of other UK ISPs are considering assisting a crackdown, which would see users personal details shared with rights holders:

Scottish telco Thus (Demon Internet) has admitted it will look at putting rights holders or complainants in contact with customers guilty of online piracy. The ISP said the 'solution' would not breach UK data protection principles and is hoping to discuss the issue at an industry level.

'ISPs should be looking at the implications of providing rights holders with customer contact details,' said a spokeswoman at Thus.

UK ISP AOL said that it was 'wholeheartedly' behind protecting copyrighted material and that a balance should be sought between ISPs and rights holders.

Typically this is a highly sensitive issue and one ISP, Tiscali, has already said that it'll take no such action unless a court order has been obtained - much as it should be for any similar situation.

It remains to be seen where this will lead, although hopefully the ISPs concerned would at least try to checkout the rights holders’ information first. More @ NewMediaZero.