Government can’t wait to start punishing file-sharers

by Scott Bicheno on 25 August 2009, 10:14

Tags: BERR

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Compulsory consensus

The department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), headed up by Peter Mandelson and formerly known as BERR, has released a document essentially fast-tracking legislation to oblige ISPs to punish individual users who have been found to indulge in illegal peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing.

The Digital Britain report had originally recommended the telecommunications regulator - Ofcom - take a leisurely few years before deciding what, if anything, to do about illegal file-sharing. But something has given BIS an uncharacteristic sense of urgency, perhaps it's the prospect of forcing ISPs to pay for the government to tell them what to do.

Minister for Digital Britain (yes, there is one), Stephen Timms, said:  "Technology and consumer behaviour is fast-changing and it's important that Ofcom has the flexibility to respond quickly to deal with unlawful file-sharing.

"We've been listening carefully to responses to the consultation this far, and it's become clear there are widespread concerns that the plans as they stand could delay action, impacting unfairly upon rights holders. So we look forward to hearing views on our new ideas, which along with those already received, will help us determine the best way to tackle this complex challenge."

Note the emphasis on "consultation" and "hearing views", while BIS has already made it clear what it intends to do in the Government Statement. To us this seems like a not especially subtle attempt to legitimise a directive from central government by dressing it up as a democratic consensus.

 

 



HEXUS Forums :: 82 Comments

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Personally, I cannot wait for a new government! Nothing I would like better than to see that smug grin wiped off Brown's face. Lets face it though what ever government we do get will rapidly forget the “people” elected them so setting policies the majority of people like, rather than a small group of lobbyist for vested interests think.
oolon
Personally, I cannot wait for a new government! Nothing I would like better than to see that smug grin wiped off Brown's face. Lets face it though what ever government we do get will rapidly forget the “people” elected them so setting policies the majority of people like, rather than a small group of lobbyist for vested interests think.

Isn't that what the govt are doing? Preventing illegal file sharing is in the interests of the vast majority - it's only a small group who want to take without providing the means for more content to be produced.
I would rather they use the resources to fix infrastructure first and misselling of “up to” broadband services given the fact that it is inherently much difficult to remove illegal p2p sharing.
kalniel
Isn't that what the govt are doing? Preventing illegal file sharing is in the interests of the vast majority - it's only a small group who want to take without providing the means for more content to be produced.

Actually no I don't, I think the majority of the public does not care, and the rest is against it. There is never any balance in these new laws. If it also went to do say, it was ok to rip your CD for your own use on your mp3 player. I might agree. Its only Stick Stick with these things, never any carrot.

If record company sold me the right to have a piece of music in a non transferable way however allowed me to have it in any format I liked, and improved formats in the future then it might be worth buying. Would solve the thief of CDs problem, not that its a problem for the record companies. Thats the point really, they want us to have an inferior product for more money, with more restrictions than that currently available, so strange people say no.
kalniel
Isn't that what the govt are doing? Preventing illegal file sharing is in the interests of the vast majority - it's only a small group who want to take without providing the means for more content to be produced.

However, if they are going to force the ISPs to police this, their costs are going to go up. Which means we are going to have to pay more for the internet. This will be another example of the law abiding getting punished for something they haven't done - much like the stupidly restrictive copy protection on games.