This week the latest news in the Digital Britain debate caused a wave of protests as it was revealed the government is considering disconnecting Internet users on allegations of copyright infringement. TorrentFreak caught up with a British independent film company to gauge their response to the news.
The latest turn of events with the Digital Britain report isn’t encouraging. Lord Mandelson has reportedly prodded through a proposal to disconnect alleged file sharers, without judicial process, and without waiting for OFCOM to see if such a measure is even needed.
The Digital Britain report will be published shortly. However, no government department will be completely knowledgeable in such a nuanced subject as peer-to-peer file-sharing. So what basic errors might the generalists make based on the submissions made to the BERR last year?
MusicTank has released a report entitled “Let’s Sell Recorded Music”, based on a series of events held last autumn and the responses to the BERR report. The report is focused mainly on the music industry’s online shortcomings. However, it fails to even mention several major points, and glosses over others with barely a mention.
UK communications minister Lord Carter has drafted new regulations that will require ISPs to warn customers suspected of sharing copyrighted material, that they are acting illegally. Furthermore, ISPs will have to hand over details of repeated infringers to the entertainment industry and other rights holders.
The UK Government, through the BERR, commissioned a public consultation last year into illicit file-sharing, and how to deal with it. The responses should have been published in December, but due to a holdup concerning a freedom of information request, it was delayed until today. Despite this, some will still be kept confidential.
If you’re one of the many incensed by the file-sharing letters issue, the OiNK raid and extensions or the ease with which UK politicians are led by the media industries like prize cattle, this could be your chance to get a say. The UK government has started a public consultation on file sharing, and how to deal with it.
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