Virgin Media is to monitor its customers' data packets in an effort to gauge the level of unlawful file-sharing on its networks.
The company announced on Thursday that it would perform a trial of deep packet inspection technology from Detica to gauge the levels of unlawful file-sharing on its network, on behalf of music companies and other rights holders.
A Virgin Media spokesperson told ZDNet UK on Thursday that customers would not be asked for consent before the trial, and that data would be anonymised.
"There is an element of deep packet inspection," said the spokesperson. "There isn't an opt-in or opt-out for the trial, because it's not affecting individual customers."
The trial, which will cover approximately 40 percent of Virgin Media customers, will use a product called CView by Detica, a BAE subsidiary that until now has dealt almost exclusively with law enforcement and the intelligence services. Detica provides intelligence products.
Read more of Virgin Media to monitor traffic for file-sharing at ZDNet UK.
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