Virgin, Universal in Music Download Pact

Virgin Media is entering a groundbreaking deal with Universal Music Group that could change the face of music-sharing in Britain. Virgin would be able to offer an all-you-can-eat download package of DRM-free Universal material... but would, in return, act as Universal's copyright cop, sniffing out and punishing Virgin Broadband users who illegally share Universal content.

This takes some of the heat off the British Government, who, while wanting to chase after copyright violators, as is evident in the Digital Britain report, just saw a heavy-handed anti-piracy measure shot down in France.