Britians New Internet Law

[Pickle_mole]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The British government has brought down its long-awaited Digital Economy Bill, and it's perfectly useless and terrible. It consists almost entirely of penalties for people who do things that upset the entertainment industry (including the "three-strikes" rule that allows your entire family to be cut off from the net if anyone who lives in your house is accused of copyright infringement, without proof or evidence or trial), as well as a plan to beat the hell out of the video-game industry with a new, even dumber rating system (why is it acceptable for the government to declare that some forms of artwork have to be mandatorily labelled as to their suitability for kids? And why is it only some media? Why not paintings? Why not novels? Why not modern dance or ballet or opera?). So it's bad. £50,000 fines if someone in your house is accused of filesharing. A duty on ISPs to spy on all their customers in case they find something that would help the record or film industry sue them (ISPs who refuse to cooperate can be fined £250,000).
But that's just for starters. The real meat is in the story we broke yesterday: Peter Mandelson, the unelected Business Secretary, would have to power to make up as many new penalties and enforcement systems as he likes. And he says he's planning to appoint private militias financed by rightsholder groups who will have the power to kick you off the internet, spy on your use of the network, demand the removal of files or the blocking of websites, and Mandelson will have the power to invent any penalty, including jail time, for any transgression he deems you are guilty of. And of course, Mandelson's successor in the next government would also have this power.
What isn't in there? Anything about stimulating the actual digital economy. Nothing about ensuring that broadband is cheap, fast and neutral. Nothing about getting Britain's poorest connected to the net. Nothing about ensuring that copyright rules get out of the way of entrepreneurship and the freedom to create new things. Nothing to ensure that schoolkids get the best tools in the world to create with, and can freely use the publicly funded media -- BBC, Channel 4, BFI, Arts Council grantees -- to make new media and so grow up to turn Britain into a powerhouse of tech-savvy creators.

Lobby organisation The Open Rights Group is urging people to contact their MP to oppose the plans. "This plan won't stop copyright infringement and with a simple accusation could see you and your family disconnected from the internet - unable to engage in everyday activities like shopping and socialising," it said.
The government will also introduce age ratings on all boxed video games aimed at children aged 12 or over.
There is, however, little detail in the bill on how the government will stimulate broadband infrastructure.

Government lays out digital plans (Thanks, Lee!)
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/20...w-interne.html

This seems very draconian, anyone else seen this? how far along has this bill gotten? Who the hell wants this passed?

[removeduser_487563287433]

The music/movie industry, which has been lobbying Lord Mandleson, the Business Secretary.

[rusina]

£50,000 fines if someone in your house is accused of filesharing. A duty on ISPs to spy on all their customers in case they find something that would help the record or film industry sue them (ISPs who refuse to cooperate can be fined £250,000).

This is sick!

[removeduser_487563287433]

It's also quite exaggerated. You must keep in mind that Boing Boing has been lobbying against this for some months now.

Not to say that this part of the Digital Britain Bill isn't a disgrace.

But if people put significant pressure on their MPs then there's no reason why this can't be delayed until the Government is kicked out. Although what with the Conservatives' positioning around Murdoch and his bizarre attack on Google you'll have to watch them too.

www.theyworkforyou.com

What's stopping you?

[reavertm]

Although what with the Conservatives' positioning around Murdoch and his bizarre attack on Google you'll have to watch them too.

It's said Murdoch was 'motivated' by Microsoft to endorse its web search engine Bing! so not so bizarre, money talks. Maybe Conservatives speak the same language

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11...rosoft_google/

[bomberboy]

The fact you can just be accused without any evidence and be punished is just facist-like or maybe thats me exaggerating.

[Shaun]

It is because of apathy that **** like this even gets considered. Sure, people on internet forums will piss and moan about it, but it will stop there.

The fact you can just be accused without any evidence and be punished is just facist-like or maybe thats me exaggerating.

Keep in mind many parts of this are highly exaggerated. But still, I agree.

[bomberboy]

It is because of apathy that **** like this even gets considered. Sure, people on internet forums will piss and moan about it, but it will stop there.



Keep in mind many parts of this are highly exaggerated. But still, I agree.

Yeah it is but still it is wrong and they are removing someones right to communicate.

[Carach]

It is because of apathy that **** like this even gets considered. Sure, people on internet forums will piss and moan about it, but it will stop there.

mainly because these laws still dont help the authorities catch those doing the filesharing (as if by seeing someone's download/upload being far larger than anyone elses shows ISP's that theyre dirty illegal pirates.....)

i dont know about other brits but if you asked me about 4 or 5 months ago i would say conservatives would certainly win an election but lately everything they seem to do compromises there position i and the next election and leans me towards labour

no dont go back there, put ur vote to the Lib dems or someone instead. Anywhere but Labour.

If you illegally download. You have done some illegal. Therefore you will be punished for it. I don’t understand the problem here. Sure I used to do it years ago when you could get away with it. But come on it wasn’t going to last. Its not like in the future in the UK you will download once, get caught and fined and thrown in jail. They are going to operate a 3 strikes system here. And if your stupid enough to ignore 2 warnings to stop doing something illegal then frankly you get what you deserve. Your Internet provider will provide all the evidence needed so again fighting it in the courts will just be an expensive waste of time for you. I agree there are much bigger evils on the internet. But that doesn't make the minor things ok. personally I think fines are suitable for such a crime.

the issue is, lozz, that the corp's arent getting down with the times. Instead of embracing the technology theyre shunning it. On top of that this digital stuff doesnt give them profit from the absurd prices now being demanded for their games. The internet is stopping their monopolising and strangling of the market. Thats their problem and thats where these pirate's problems lay too (in their objection to the above)

Boohoo if the fatcats are losing control thanks to the advent of digital/internet technology - there are ways for them to work with the system rather than against it; but they refuse to do so.

[GrnEyedDvl]

The fact you can just be accused without any evidence and be punished is just facist-like or maybe thats me exaggerating.

An accusation is one thing. I seriously doubt a court in England would allow you to be fined without actually being found guilty. That part sounds like hype to me.

[removeduser_487563287433]

The fact you can just be accused without any evidence and be punished is just facist-like or maybe thats me exaggerating.

Yup.

[martyr]

The fact you can just be accused without any evidence and be punished is just facist-like or maybe thats me exaggerating.

exactly.

this is the problem with the bill.

[Justice and Mercy]

The fact you can just be accused without any evidence and be punished is just facist-like or maybe thats me exaggerating.

No, you're not exaggerating.

[Salem1]

Waow, a very mild law by comparison (IPRED) caused an outrage in here in Sweden and Britain isn't even doing anything about this?! Why isn't political lobbyism forbidden over there already anyway?

[Azog 150]

Waow, a very mild law by comparison (IPRED) caused an outrage in here in Sweden and Britain isn't even doing anything about this?! Why isn't political lobbyism forbidden over there already anyway?

Becuase the people of Britain no longer have a back bone. We have just sat back as Britain has furthered its move to a police state (Not saying it is one, but if we continue like we have been doing, then in the future it will be....)

[Simon Cashmere]

Waow, a very mild law by comparison (IPRED) caused an outrage in here in Sweden and Britain isn't even doing anything about this?! Why isn't political lobbyism forbidden over there already anyway?

The people of Britain have given up. They seem to accept anything nowadays, and either deny it is happening or say its needed for the greater good.

[G-Megas-Doux]

The people of Britain have given up. They seem to accept anything nowadays, and either deny it is happening or say its needed for the greater good.

Anyone seen the film Hot Fuzz, it is a comedy with Simon Pegg.

That is all people need to know about "The greater good."

[bomberboy]

I just think the government have got it all wrong filesharing is used by musicians themselves the arctic monkeys did it and look where they are now, and besides a lot of people who download end up buying the CD too.

Edit: Illegally download may I add.

[MathiasOfAthens]

I feel so sorry for you brits.

[Lovejoy]

I wonder if they realize what they do when they shut someone out from the internet. If I have mine internet connection shut I wouldn't be able to pay my bills, do school work, socialize and shop. And it keep getting worse. Every year more things move onto the internet. Within years a adult life without internet connection wont work.

I would be surprised if this bill pass in EU.