France has just announced a new policy of cutting of Internet access for users who do not stop downloading pirated movies and music off of the Internet.

From the BBC:

French web users caught pirating movies or music could soon be thrown offline.

Those illegally sharing files will face the loss of their net access thanks to a newly-created anti-piracy body granted the wide-ranging powers.

According to the report, Internet providers will be monitoring what their users are doing and report their findings to the new anti-piracy body.

Net firms will monitor what their customers are doing and pass on information about persistent pirates to the new independent body. Those identified will get a warning and then be threatened with either being cut off or suspended if they do not stop illegal file-sharing.

The agreement between net firms, record companies, film-makers and government was drawn up by a special committee created to look at the problem of the net and cultural protection.

The anti-piracy body comes out of a deal agreed by France’s music and movie makers and its net firms.

France is listed as losing $$7.8 Billion to counterfeiting and piracy.