Hollywood studios have enlisted one of the nation's largest Internet Service Providers to help fight illegal file sharing, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.
AT&T and the film industry will develop anti-piracy technology that identifies those who download unauthorized copies of films and TV shows, the paper reported Thursday.
Privacy groups worry that the behemoth phone company could emerge as a powerful Internet gatekeeper.
"AT&T is going to act like the copyright police, and that is going to make customers angry," said Gigi Sohn, president of Public Knowledge, a digital rights advocacy group, according to the Times.
San Antonio-based AT&T began working last week with studios and record companies to develop anti-piracy technology that will target the most frequent offenders, the paper reported.