According to the guardian.co.uk, A U.K. Court of Appeals has held that ISPs will need to pay 25% of costs associated with establishing and running an appeals body for alleged file sharers.
“ISPs will now be forced to pay 25 percent of all “qualifying” costs related to establishing and operating an appeals body for alleged file sharers and pay 25% of costs related to identifying alleged file sharers.
“Ofcom, a U.K.-based communications regulator, will pay the remaining 75 percent of the costs.”
“Today’s ruling now paves the way for the U.K.’s Digital Economy Act to be enforced across the country. The Act, which was ready to be implemented nearly two years ago if not for the ISPs’ appeals, requires providers to disconnect subscribers from their broadband service if they’re found guilty of illegal filesharing.”
It’s like you said, @ MHB. Because the online world didn’t want to regulate itself, it’s stuck with what the government determines is fair.