In a new development which could lead to the UK Government actually introducing the new Digital Economy Bill which will discontinue free public Wi-Fi in frequented places, broadband internet services provider The Cloud has revealed that a pub owner running the company's open Wi-Fi Hotspot has been slapped with a ?8,000 fine after one of the customers there illegally downloaded some copyrighted files.

The unnamed pub was operating the Wi-Fi service like many other bars, coffee shops and retail outlets across the country.

ZDNet has shared that this case by a copyrights holder is "the first of its kind in the UK", and there are many questions about whether the pub is actually liable for something like this, in the light of the pending legislation.

According to the Digital Economy Bill which was announced the past week, such public internet access providers, or "public communications services" as the bill classifies them, seem to be exempted from being prosecuted for any action that their users have undertaken. But the latest development has come as an exact opposite of that.

"Wi-Fi hotspots... providing access to the internet to members of the public, free or paid, are public communications services", reports ZDNet.

As of now, amidst growing controversy, the heavy fine stays, and while there are slim chances that it will be lifted, the incident will garner for supporters for passing of the Digital Economy Bill.