The copyright surveillance machine known as the Copyright Alert System (CAS) is finally launching today, with Internet Service Providers (ISP) to get reay to monitor peer to peer networks for copyright infringement.

CAS is an agreement among the recording and film industry and large Internet Service Providers to monitor peer to peer networks for copyright infringement and target subscribers who are alleged to infringe - via everything from from "educational" alerts to throttling Internet speeds.

Over the course of the next several days participating ISPs will begin rolling out the system. Practically speaking, this means content owners will begin sending notices of alleged P2P copyright infringement to ISPs, and the ISPs will begin forwarding those notices in the form of Copyright Alerts to consumers. Consumers whose accounts have been used to share copyrighted content over P2P networks illegally (or without authority) will receive Alerts that "are meant to educate rather than punish," accordig to the Center Of Copyright Information (CCI) - and direct them to legal alternatives. And for those consumers who believe they received Alerts in error, an easy to use process will be in place for them to seek independent review of the Alerts they received.

"We hope this cooperative, multi-stakeholder approach will serve as a model for addressing important issues facing all who participate in the digital entertainment ecosystem," said Jill Lesser of CCI.