Stealing music and movies is wrong.

Piracy has cost artists and media empires millions, and thousands of people have lost their jobs as a result of copyrighted material being freely available for download over the net.

Take a look at last night’s TV schedule and the chances are that you will find the top dramas and cult shows already available for fans to download to their computers.

But the same technology that allows pirates to steal films and albums can also be used for legitimate purposes. The fact is that there is no 100 per cent effective way of blocking illegal file-sharing that will not impact on legal file-sharers.

Illegal file-sharers are a determined bunch, and when obstacles are put in their way they will discover new ways to distribute and share copyrighted material with each other.

Yes, it’s right to send out a strong message that stealing someone else’s creative work is a crime.

But putting the pressure on the internet service providers to police their users is not the answer to the problem.

Times Recommends

• Lies and cover-up at MG Rover exposed by report
• High oil prices push manufacturing costs up
• Primark founder steps down as chief executive