Variety reports that a "watered-down" version of the U.K.'s controversial Digital Economy Bill has just been passed by MPs in a last-gasp measure of the existing British parliament, just before the general election campaigns gain momentum.
The new laws will give regulator Ofcom the power to block websites suspected of piracy and the ability to impose fines of up to £250,000 on Internet service providers that fail to act against persistent offenders.
ISPs will be allowed to suspend offenders' accounts while copyright holders will be able to access the names and addresses of serious piracy offenders and take action against them.
Media Secretary Ben Bradshaw said the legislation struck the correct balance between giving creative artists more protection and providing consumers with a "fair deal"
He added:
"Hundreds of millions of pounds every year is currently haemorrhaging from our creative industries because of unlawful file-sharing.
"This is not a harmless or victimless activity. It deprives our musicians, writers and filmmakers and other artists of their livelihoods and if we don't do something about it, it will pose a serious threat to our creative sectors and Britain's role in them."
Google, which has repeatedly opposed the plans to block websites, criticised the decision by saying that the bill had "escaped proper scrutiny".
A spokesman said:
"We absolutely believe in the importance of copyright, but blocking through injunction creates a high risk that legal content gets mistakenly blocked, or that people abuse the system."
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