Some of the UK's biggest internet providers have joined forces with the British government and distribution platforms to fundamentally realign their collective approach to the illegal download and sharing of entertainment online.

Loading

Loading

As highlighted in a statement by Virgin Media , the new approach means those found to have participated in illegal sharing won't be punished. Instead, they'll be sent letters in a bid to educate you and point you towards legal alternatives that are competitively priced. You can receive up to four of these a year, though choosing to ignore them won't have any negative consequences.The statement explains, "We believe people will ultimately pay if they can get what they want, how they want, at a price that's fair to them."Business Secretary Vince Cable echoed the words, saying "It's about persuading the persuadable, such as parents who do not know what is going on with their net connection. [The voluntary copyright alert programme] is not about denying access to the internet. It's about changing attitudes and raising awareness so people can make the right choice."The current list of companies involved include internet providers BT, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk and Virgin Media, along with The Motion Picture Association (MPA) and the British Record Music Industry (BPI). Services like Spotify and Netflix have also been roped in as partners, as the companies try to show willing when it comes to embracing paid digital distribution platforms, in the hope consumers will do the same.The first phase of the scheme will take the form of a multi-media awareness campaign, and is due to kick off in early 2015.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK News Editor. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on Twitter