With the consultation deadline for the Digital Economy Bill fast approaching, the stakes for the music business have never been higher.

Over these past few weeks many words have been spoken and written about the Government's proposal to step up legislation against illegal file-sharing and downloading. The diverse opinion only emphasises just how emotive and important this topic is. In fact, there is no issue more important right now because what we are talking about is the very future of the music industry as a viable business. The stakes really are that high.

But hearing from some in the business you might not realise how urgently direct action is now needed if we ever hope to tackle the devastating menace of online piracy in any meaningful way.

Some seem to believe it is morally wrong to punish those who persistently steal music online - surely the moral argument is the other way round - while others shrug their shoulders and suggest the piracy problem is so big that attempting to tackle it through legislation is a waste of time. With an attitude like that we may as well give up.

The reality is the problem of piracy is not going to be solved just through the industry's own endeavours; we need help, legislative help.

Given what is at stake, it is disappointing then that yet again the industry finds itself with conflicting voices on such a critical issue. There is also a dreaded sense of deje vu because a late intervention by the Featured Artists Coalition, which is against beefing up measures against filesharers, helped derail Government and industry efforts to extend copyright term.

And, frankly, too much of what is being said by those who oppose the route of tougher legislation reeks of naivety and inadvertently plays into the hands of the ISPs and others, who would only be too happy if none of the Government proposals about technical measures to curb filesharers gained traction.

Comments like those from FAC's Ed O'Brien, who says, "Filesharing is like a sampler, like taping your mate's music" do not stand up to scrutiny. Taping your mate's music gave you an inferior version of the real thing. Too often, in the online world, a pirate copy is as good as the real thing negating the need to buy a legitimate version.

Blur drummer and fellow FAC member Dave Rowntree seems equally ill advised. He describes illegal filesharing as "an incredibly positive thing for the music industry".