Draconian UK Digital Economy Bill passes: huge blow for digital privacy, security, freedom.
“Unintended consequences”. That was the phrase used by Labour MP Tom Watson when speaking against the Government’s Digital Economy Bill, a piece of legislation rushed through the Commons tonight which is so vast and all-encompassing that it left MPs debating the finer points of WiFi security (although without much expertise). “Unintended consquences” pretty much sums it up. And not just unintended, but potentially disastrous. During the 1960s Chairman Mao told farmers to kill crop-eating sparrows, an edict which produced a plague of the insects which the sparrows normally ate. Likewise, the Digital Economy Bill, in trying to support artists’ copyright and tackle illegal file-sharing, is about to produce a new culture – in which ISPs and bewildered householders are deluged with threatening legal letters from the entertainment industry. These innocents will have no idea their teenage children, neighbours, or even someone parked outside their house, has been slurping their WiFi and downloading the latest Hollywood movies and Top 40 albums. In the past the lawyers had to go after the infringers, with actual proof. Remember being innocent until proven guilty? That’s out now. Now, the holder of the internet account (Mum, Dad, Granny and the small business that can’t afford the legal fees) will be held to account for what happens over their connection. A new way for lawyers to create another ambulance-chasing industry? How’s that for unintended consequences? A further impact will be on the UK’s technology innovators. How would you like to start a go-ahead new internet company if you felt your legal bills might end up being bigger than you actual Internet access bill? http://tinyurl.com/y9nswga _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list [email protected] http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
