Have you been downloading illegally? Expect a letter in the post

If you've been downloading copyrighted content then you'll receive a letter telling you just how naughty you've been.

After four years of negotiations, Sky, BT, TalkTalk and Virgin Media have all signed an agreement with representatives of the British film and music industries to push back against the pirates.

But all that ISPs will be doing is firing out "educational" letters to anyone believed to be downloading content illegally, starting in 2015.

Yeah you'd BETTER be scared

Rights holders wanted tougher measure, but embattled lobby groups diluted the initiative down so much that all people will be getting is a letter "promoting an increase in awareness" of legal alternatives.

As un-terrifying as that sounds, there could be a more significant long-term plan here. But for now, all you've got to worry about is an extra piece of mail to chuck away.

• Steal or no steal: tackling the changing face of movie piracy

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