The record industry has wheeled out its biggest stars in the hope of shaming internet users into stopping file swapping.

The multimillion-dollar campaign, which features stars like Madonna and Sting, compares file swapping with stealing. One of its advertisements contains quotes from artists including Britney Spears and Missy Elliot.

Spears said: "Would you go into a CD store and steal a CD? It's the same thing, people going into computers and logging on and stealing our music."

And Missy Elliot said: "Turning your back on the bootleggers helps us pave the way for the next generation of entrepreneurs."

But analyst Sharon Saw from media strategist Topspot said internet users are unlikely to be shamed by advertisements. "They want the music and there are plenty of people online who will provide it for them," she said.

The music industry would be better off investing the money in providing its own secure online business rather than squandering it on legal efforts to close down file-sharing systems, Saw added.

One pirate, who has cut and distributed more than 20 albums (including Britney's), said: "If record companies were more reasonable there would be no pirates."