While the entertainment industry dreams of booting heavy P2P users from ISP networks (ignoring the fact these are potential customers), ISPs don't want the extra cost of playing content babysitter. ISPs like citing a 2008 UK study that claims 72% of P2P users would stop with just a warning, or a similar 2009 study that puts that number closer to 64%. Of course the data seems a little suspect, given that ISPs have been forwarding toothless DMCA letters for years, with only explosive P2P growth to show for it.

Other recent studies (funded by media industry lawyers) suggest that 80% would pay attention if the letter was accompanied by a threat of disconnection. The problem has been there's simply too many holes in the idea. Smaller ISPs can't afford to play copyright cop, nobody seems to know who'd track repeat offenders across ISPs, and piracy detection systems are notoriously unreliable. That apparently doesn't matter to UK lawmakers, who revived an idea this week to boot P2P users from ISP networks:This move comes after British lawmakers last June ruled out employing broadband disconnection as a penalty for P2P use because it was excessive. The Guardian suggests that the three strikes plan resurfaced after British politicians spent some quality vacation time with David Geffen while on holiday, though lawmakers deny the allegation. Regardless, there's still seems to be a powerful unreality forcefield surrounding British lawmakers, who don't quite grasp the logistical nightmare of tracking technically sophisticated P2P users across ISPs.