Users of torrent sites such as the Pirate Bay could be seeing their final days of free TV and film downloads in the UK.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) such as Virgin Media and Sky will shortly give customers a 20-day warning to stop illegally downloading TV, music and films.

The warnings are part of the government's 'Get It Right' campaign which aims to warn internet users of the dangers of online piracy.

Users of Torrent sites such as The Pirate Bay are seeing their final days of free TV and films in the UK. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) such as Virgin Media and Sky will shortly give customers a 20-day warning to stop illegal downloads (stock image)

WHAT IS THE PIRATE BAY AND WHAT ARE TORRENTS? The Pirate Bay is a website that hosts millions of links to files that are free to download. Some of these files are legal but others are illegal copies of TV shows, films, music albums, computer programmes such as Photoshop, and more. These files are known as Torrents and are transferred through peer-to-peer software in which one user hosts the file and another 'leeches' it directly from their network. Torrents allow users to efficiently trade files between one another using websites like The Pirate Bay as directories to find the files they want. Internet Providers have tried to cut off users from these sites before by blocking their IP addresses. But proxy sites and VPN's (Virtual Private Networks) have given Torrent users easy routes around these blocks. Advertisement

'Copyright owners are monitoring peer-to-peer (file-sharing) networks to identify instances where their content is uploaded and shared without permission,' the campaign states.

'They will note the Internet Protocol (IP) address and then contact the appropriate ISP – including BT, NowTV, PlusNet, Sky, Talk-Talk and Virgin Media.

'The account holder may then receive an Educational Email from their ISP referencing one or more instances of peer-to-peer uploading and file sharing activities that have been confirmed to breach copyright.'

TalkTalk and BT are also signed up to the government campaign.

Some internet providers have set up web pages to explain what the warnings are for.

'By sharing illegally rather than enjoying it from legitimate sources, you aren't supporting the growth and success of the content you love,' Sky wrote.

'The campaign was initiated by the creators of copyrighted material, and supported by the UK's largest internet service providers, to help people access content from genuine sites, whether it be music, films, books, sports or any other creative material.'

Sky has not yet specified what, if any, punishment will be dished out to those who continue to download files illegally after the warning's deadline.

It does say that those who receive an 'educational email' will not have their broadband cancelled.

The warnings are part of the UK government's 'Get It Right' campaign which aims to warn internet users of the dangers of online piracy. Sky has not yet specified what the punishment will be for those who continue to download illegally after the warning's deadline (stock image)

'Your broadband service won't be affected as a result of receiving this email alert,' Sky wrote.

'However, if you continue to share content illegally using your broadband connection, Sky will request that you take immediate steps to remove or disable any file sharing software that is being used to share copyrighted content illegally.'

MailOnline contacted Virgin Media for comment on the warnings.

'Virgin Media, along with all of the other major UK internet providers, is working with the UK's creative industries through a partnership called Creative Content UK (CCUK),' the company said.

'This coalition aims to raise consumer awareness of the wide array of legitimate online content services and to help reduce online copyright infringement.

'Virgin Media and other ISPs will soon begin sending educational emails to customers who are associated with illegal file-sharing and direct to them to a dedicated website with a list of genuine sources of where they, and others who use their account, can legally access movies, music, TV shows, books, newspapers, games and sports.

'Emails sent by ISPs will be purely educational and no customer details will be shared with rights holders, government or other third parties.'

The Pirate Bay is a website that hosts millions of links to files that are free to download.

Some of these files are legal but others are illegal copies of TV shows, films, music albums, computer programmes such as Photoshop, and more.

THE UK'S MOST PIRATED TV SHOWS OF 2016 1) Game of Thrones 2) The Walking Dead 3) Westworld 4) The Flash 5) Arrow 6) The Big Bang Theory 7) Vikings 8) Lucifer 9) Suits 10) The Grand Tour Advertisement

These files are known as Torrents and are transferred through peer-to-peer software in which one user hosts the file and another 'leeches' it directly from their network.

Torrents allow users to efficiently trade files between one another using websites like The Pirate Bay as directories to find the files they want.

Internet Providers have tried to cut off users from these sites before by blocking their IP addresses.

But proxy sites and VPN's (Virtual Private Networks) have given Torrent users easy routes around these blocks.

The co-founder of The Pirate Bay was arrested in Sweden in June 2014 after being on the run for nearly two years.

Peter Sunde was arrested in southern Sweden to serve an outstanding sentence for copyright violations.

Sunde had been wanted by Interpol since 2012 after being sentenced in Sweden to prison and fined for breaching copyright laws.

Four men linked to Pirate Bay were originally sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of 32 million crowns (£3.8 million).

An appeals court later reduced the prison sentences by varying amounts, but raised the fine to 46 million Swedish crowns (£5.5 million).

In September, 2012, Cambodia arrested and deported another Pirate Bay co-founder, Gottfrid Svartholm, at Sweden's request.