The Anti-Piracy Cell (APC) of the state police would seek the assistance of internet service providers to track down online piracy sharks.

“The move also aims to prevent uploading of pornographic material,” the APC officials said.

They said that a meeting of various service providers would be convened at the Crime Branch office here next week. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Crime Branch ADGP Vinson M Paul here on Friday. “The service providers would be asked to chart out preventive measures against illegal uploading of pornographic content,” Anti-Piracy Cell SP B Varghese said.

Representatives of state’s internet majors, including BSNL, Airtel, Asianet, Reliance and Tata Docomo are expected to attend the meeting.

Anti-Piracy Cell DySP S Rafeeq said that the Information Technology Act (IT Act) holds service providers also responsible for the content transmitted through their networks.

“The service providers can track down the activities of network users. We want them to devise methods to clear pirated contents from getting uploaded,” Rafeeq said.

He said the service providers would also be asked to pass on the details of users who indulge in illegal uploading or downloading activities.

Rafeeq said that there was an alarming increase in the uploading of pornographic content from the state.

“Not just pornography, it involves sexual exploitation. The service providers would be asked to track down the offenders,” he said.