Hollywood film studios head to the High Court

The Guardian is reporting that several of the big Hollywood studios are attempting to force BT, Britain's largest internet service provider (ISP), to block access to a website accused of distributing pirated material.

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) – backed by studios including Warner Bros, Fox, Disney and Paramount Pictures – wants BT to cut off access to Newzbin2, which allegedly links to hundreds of pirated films.

On Tuesday the case will be heard at the High Court in London. It's the first in Britain to be brought in an attempt to force ISPs to block sites under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.

If successful, more music and film companies are expected to go to the courts to seek the controversial blocking orders.

Spyro Markesinis, vice-president of legal affairs for Momentum Pictures, the distributor of The King's Speech, told The Guardian there were 75 different versions of the film on Newzbin2, none of which had been authorised by the studio.

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Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.