Technology consultancy Detica today announced a new technology which could help internet service providers (ISPs) monitor illegal file sharing over the internet, but the firm was quick to point out that the system does not identify individual offenders.

Detica CView is currently being trailed by Virgin Media to help the firm gain a view of the overall level of illegal file sharing on its network.

Detica's media accounts director, Dan Klein, explained that CView uses a form of deep packet inspection technology, but removes any IP addresses at the outset meaning that no activity can be tied to individual customers.

"It's a network device mirroring the traffic, so in that sense it's deep packet inspection, but that's where it stops," he said.

The new service could therefore help ISPs meet some requirements of the forthcoming Digital Economy Bill, such as monitoring levels of copyright infringement on their networks, but will not be able to help them enforce the controversial three-strikes policy of cutting off persistent offenders.

Klein argued that more invasive technologies should not be necessary to help music and film industries solve the current problems of copyright infringement.

"We believe we've found something which is proportionate to the problem of copyright infringement. We don't believe that finding the individual [offender] is proportionate," said Klein.

"This allows the music and film industries to really understand how they can take the plunge and get their digital catalogues online and get their business models right."