Online piracy looks set to take a major knock as a landmark case begins between BT and Hollywood film studios, who demand website Newzbin2 be blocked for illicit filesharing. 

Paramount Pictures and Disney along with many others are involved in the case which was brought before the High Court in London yesterday. 

What the Hollywood studios describe as a "significant social evil", could see hundreds of similar websites blocked. 

BT explains that the order would be the "thin end of the wedge", leading to many other suspect pages being closed down. If the studios were to win, they would demand that other ISPs follow suit, in order to get any evidence of the site banned from the UK.

Newzbin2 has close to 700,000 users and manages a turnover each year of around £1 million. As the QC in charge of representing the film studios, Richard Spearman, explained Newzbin2 "allows repeat and mammoth-scale copyright infringement," adding, "If BT could not see that happening then they have to be the biggest ostrich in history."

The Motion Picture Association, the trade body in charge of representing the studios, has said BT should cut off access to Newzbin2 in the same way child abuse websites are blocked. 

Clamping down on all the illicit copies of the King's Speech could take years. Some of you may remember the case surrounding the Hurt Locker, which saw no less than 24,583 torrent site users having lawsuits filed against them. 

Should the studios win? We want to know what you think!