The U.K.'s Home Office is planning broad powers to ban hackers from using the internet.
With such new clout, law enforcement agencies and the courts could hand out Serious Crime Prevention Orders to spammers and hackers when police lack enough evidence of wrongdoing.
The idea is part of the Home Office's green paper, "New Powers Against Organised and Financial Crime." It is hoped that these orders will be given in civil, rather than criminal, courts, where the standard of proof is far lower.
Suspected hackers given the special order could find themselves giving police employment details, having their credit cards stopped or being prevented from sending out spam.
Full details of the green paper can be found in the link below.