Was the Digital Economy Bill Consultation a Whitewash?
Written by enigmax on November 23, 2009Last week the Digital Economy Bill was released and included tough measures to deal with illicit file-sharing. It was preceded by a consultation period where individuals, consumer groups and ISPs voiced serious concerns over the proposals. The government seems to have completely ignored them – not so the rights holders.
Last week, details finally emerged concerning the Digital Economy Bill. In a nutshell, the bill aims to turn elements of Lord Carter’s Digital Britain report into law.
Internet users will face being monitored by the music and movie industries, and their ISPs forced to pass on infringement notices based on rights holder supplied evidence alone. ISPs will also have to keep records of who gets warnings and share this information with the rights holders.
If reduction targets aren’t met, file-sharers could have action taken against them by their own ISP, including the ultimate sanction of disconnection, all this without setting foot in a court. Also on the cards is allowing changes to UK copyright law without Parliamentary oversight, which means whatever the government decides to do, it can, with no threat of being blocked. Under the influence of the music and movie industries as it is, this can only go one way.
One of the benefits of living in a democracy is that entities like the Digital Economy Bill are preceded by everyone having their say. Rights holders, Internet service providers, consumer groups and, of course, the lowly individual, were allowed to participate via the BERR consultation.
While rights holders achieved almost everything they asked for and will undoubtedly be very happy with the outcome, the government insisted last week that ISPs were also widely supporting the Digital Economy Bill. But that claim turned out to be false, with the Internet Service Providers Association saying that it was “extremely disappointed” with aspects of the proposals aimed at illicit file-sharing.
Consumer groups also submitted to the consultation, including those from Which? and BeingThreatened, a portal created to provide help and support to ISP account holders who have been wrongfully accused of infringement by copyright holders.
“We are extremely disappointed, though not at all surprised with the nature of the response the government have given. Despite the 13 page response consisting of 11 pages of summary, much of which relates to the concern over the evidential collection, due process and appropriate appeal, the government makes absolutely no mention of this in the response,” they told TorrentFreak.
Indeed, as they quite rightly point out, the only items that remain in focus are those relating to protecting the entertainment industries by the introduction of technological solutions and a 3 strikes-style regime.
“The government response fails completely to put any provisions in place to deal with mistaken allegations. Whilst there is a right for appeal, there is no consequence to a rights holder for making vexatious and false claims,” they added.
Also of concern is that the new system being put forward by the government does not trump the old system, indeed they will remain in operation together. If rights holders and lawyers such as ACS:Law wish to continue with their campaigns of sending letters and demanding huge sums of money instead, they will be perfectly entitled to do so, perhaps with the added assistance of the new information ISPs will be compelled to store.
However, what BeingThreatened find most disappointing is that despite a large opposition to the plans to deal with file-sharing, many of the dissenting voices have simply been ignored, with the government giving submissions from rights holders and their umbrella groups absolute priority.
“This does not give the majority of respondents from our community a feeling that democracy has been observed. It is clear that the consultation, at least from the government’s point of view, was nothing more than a box-ticking exercise. It looks suspiciously like there was never any intent to engage in a transparent democratic process. I am certain that our group will not be alone in these views,” they added.
The full statement BeingThreatened can be found here and all the (corporate and individual) responses to the consultation are available on the BERR website.
Previously: Novell Strips BitTorrent DHT Technology from openSUSE
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113 Responses
Yes absolutely
I am ashamed to be British, our Government is a JOKE.
Britain is a democracy? Apparently in name only.
Sad.
I feel this labour government is the most controling government on the planet and the most paranoid i have been witness too, the only thing we can do now is hope that this labour government gets voted out so i will vote for the pirate party, the more votes they get the better chance at least one will get a palimentary seat to put a voice into the seat of power.
Incidently i think the government has gone to far on a lot of things hence why i believe they won’t be in power this time 2010 fingers crossed
Even the useless house of lords wont get a vote on it. vpn for me when it comes to law.
VOTE LiBERAL DEMOCRATES. 2010 iS THE YEAR SOMETHiNG RiGHT GETS DONE!
The revolution will not be televised, it will be fought online.
Avast matey’s, Fire up the VPN’s and batten down the hard drives. It be a stormy night ahead of us!
Any Brits looking for a free VPN should check out “ItsHidden”.
Id also recommend you start encrypting any hard drives you get from now on. Truecrypt is my favourite, as it allows you to create hidden encrypted sections within another one!
Stay safe out there lads
it makes me ashamed to be british we fight wars around the world under the banner of democracy, yet in our own country it seems to have vanished
Everyone should sign the number 10 petition against this!
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/dontdisconnectus/
We have to stop this ASAP.
Good that the tags tell us its about Britain, it could be about the US…
its only a democracy when they tell
you it its and it does not upset
there apple cart thats the british
Government for you ( and thats all partys)
Good thing I dont live in Britain T_T
What are you talking about fighting wars around the world? You havn’t fought in nothing since the US asked you for additional support in the middle east.
The UK is a joke. This just proves it.
Yes, fire up your VPN’s and continue to take it up your back ends.
vpn’s for all. :-)
http://www.emule-project.net
Yep, VPN.
Until they ban them too.
Democracy and freedom? Not so much.
Welcome to the rise of the corporate state.
And those of you who think this is just a Labor thing, and electing the other guys will make it any better,… well, I got a bunch of bridges to sell you, real cheap.
Both sides are completely in the pocket of Big Business. Just like in the US.
This is one of the reasons why Hollywood will never get my money for a new movie again.Before this happens in the USA I will fight by myself if I have to.
BOYCOTT RIAA,MPASA, & their stooges.
No Corporate Music !!!!
No Corporate Films !!!!
If you need a film buy used.
As if it wasn’t bad enough in itself, it will leave the door open for the Conservatives to help their pal Rupert Murdoch attack Google – in other words an end to free internet.
Think on that!
Post moderated
@14
Let me guess, you’re american, and calling britain pathetic, the irony is actually funny.
VOTE LiBERAL DEMOCRATES. 2010 iS THE YEAR SOMETHiNG RiGHT GETS DONE!
“No one expects the Pirate Finder General”
https://nodpi.org/forum/index.php/topic,2246.0.html
> Secret plans for a Pirate-Finder General?
Being British saddens me. To be honest I don’t think there is a Britain any more. The problem will be when people go to vote. Some will still vote labour, some will be defiant and vote conservative and some will vote others. The problem will come when there are not enough votes for one particular party and we end up with a hung parliament. That would cause even more problems for us.
Somehow we need to get labour out and their draconian antics. We know it will all start again with the next government but what choice do we have?
It is truly pathetic but we are to blame because we don’t do anything about it. Never have and never will.
@10 Jacko
I signed up yesterday. :-)
as 18 writes:
“This is one of the reasons why Hollywood will never get my money for a new movie again.Before this happens in the USA I will fight by myself if I have to.
BOYCOTT RIAA,MPASA, & their stooges.
No Corporate Music !!!!
No Corporate Films !!!!
If you need a film buy used.”
its my thought, too…
Sieg Heil UK!
sucks to be euro
The Labour government failed to stop Pirate Radio and they will fail to stop file sharing.
Seedboxes & VPNs, they are a lot cheaper than buying the stupid DVDs.
Will wait until first few VIPs get disconnected …
The point that is always missed is this… our point of view, your point of view is such a minority, such a tiny percentage of the UK population. Why? No not because you are wrong, or I am wrong or they are right…
…because 99% of the population is less well educated, less reasoned and frankly is too busy worrying about what happened in East Enders last night to give a holly crap about rights and fairness and democracy….
…because 99% will vote on the day for one party because the very day before some blindly elected trumped up power loving politician will say, “we represent the drive for better hospitals, better care for your grand mothers”…
Every time it happens like this. Democracy is not good even when it “works” because people are not educated / interested enough to vote for the greater good.
Finally, the also have memories of about 3 years, cos by the time the next election comes they forget that none of the promises has happened, none of the things they voted for really changed… and the result?
The same trumpted up politision gets their vote because again he talks about “Hospital treatment and Jobs for your grand kids”….
Its a crock of shit, always has been, always will be… Quit complaining, see it for what it is.
You wont, cant and will not win. You are 1% right or wrong.
Post moderated
Welcome to “The United Corporation”
Government by the Corporation, For The Corporation.
I’m in the UK and next year will vote against the government. Don’t care who replaces them – just want to register my concern at the way they are dealing with piracy.
And then they want to tax us for the privilege.
I’m glad I’m not a Nationalist, I’d be curling up in shame.
For all you idiots from the US that seem to believe this only applies to Britain, get a F-ing clue.. This is a world issue, it may only be relative to Britain at the moment, but it will affect everyone-everywhere….So quit showing all of us that your IQ matches your shoe size and STFU, we need solutions,not your moronic “Us-Them” BS…
Raise the colors boys and girls, methinks we’re in for quite a fight….
FIGHT!
Why don’t they get it over with now instead of messing about with all this, and just pull the plug on the internet for the UK.
Wont be long before looking at a video on youtube that has a 2 second clip of a song in the background will land you with a huge fine, and internet suspention.
It is true the New Labour government has introduced more social control based legisltation than all the governments in the entire history of the UK. If people only wake up to this fact because of the current p2p issue then they have turned an eye for far too long. It is truely shocking the extent to which Labour have turned Britain into a police state.
On the other hand, badly drawn legislation – i.e. that which can fall fowl of human rights or even the law itself has a habit of creating a storm because it is inevitable that the innocent will be effected and the legislation will have to be altered.
The UK High Court and the European Court of Human rights is the next port of call because what is apparent is nobody in parliament knows how to deal with nor understands p2p. While this context lasts the governement will only see it as a drain on sources of tax (loss due to the consumer not paying VAT on a product.) The ideological issue about what exactly the digital economy is remains out in the cold.
Has it occurred to anyone that the “cartel” is manipulating national policy worldwide? (Something that would cause a total outrage if a government entity ([such as the US]) tried to do the same? The term “MAFIAA” is correct, follow the money. Follow the research as well and you will discover who put the current president in office and who he answers to. This ploy wouldn’t have global reach without the many corrupt, ignorant political figures all of our countries have. Most nations aren’t fighting this because they all want to control their populations. With copyright measures in place, political entities, i.e. government ruling bodies, also have the tools to access and manipulate all user information. It IS a war internet citizens and we are the spoils. However bad you think it is, it’s worse.
I strongly suggest that we all educate as many people as possible about DRM laws and their FULL implications as this affects us all worldwide. People can’t fight what they aren’t aware of.
I also strongly suggest that anyone capable and willing, continue to develop ways to protect our online privacy and ability to communicate freely. WE are a threat to this underground power grab as long as we are united.
Perhaps I begin to understand the “one world government” idea a bit better……….
Peace and freedom to all, unite, fight!!
@ 6 Nov 23, 2009 at 14:04 by Anonymous
VOTE LiBERAL DEMOCRATES. 2010 iS THE YEAR SOMETHiNG RiGHT GETS DONE!
hahahahaha be as well as nailing your cock to the table for all teh good that will do too
gief FREE ENCRYPTED torrents :<
Just a shameless way to try and lockdown the net and bring it under government control. There are many enemies of the “free and open” internet.
Good luck guys, your digital anonymity is over. Time to get creative.
@36 Xcel
You are so right. This is just ACTA across the Atlantic. It really isnt about downloading it is about complete control of the internet.
The real issue is network neutrality.
Rage against all these motherf*****s!
what seems very sad to me is the fact that the music and movies, in the main, are so poor and of such bad quality, that there is no money being made from their actual sales. if the media was worth purchasing, there wouldn’t be a problem, but as it isn’t, the only way to recoup any costs and then perhaps make a profit, is to track the number of downloads, then sue those people downloading. that then alienates customers who refuse to buy out of principle. the viscious circle continues. produce quality and stand a damn good chance of making money. produce crap and definitely make nothing but crap! to then condemn every other internet industry and user in favour of entertainment is going to be a disastrous mistake that will bring the internet itself down, permantly! so stupid!
We have two kinds of ammunition in the Global War on non-commercial File Sharing that Big Content and their utterly corrupt minions^Hpoliticians are waging full force ACTA-like against us:
1.) technical solutions: distributed anonymous p2p, encrypt everything, resilient censorship-resistant DHT, darknets, steganography, etc.
2.) social solutions: help your national Pirate Party, educate your (non-filesharing) peers, friends, etc. Blog furiously away, comment on every newspaper you know, write letters to your politicians (even if we hate them guts), expose and amplify their shortcomings and “little sins”.
THEY have deep pockets, but WE have more time, perseverance, ingenuity, and sheer numbers.
What really needs to happen is for the government to get some of it’s own medicine.
It will be a great day when parliament is disconnected for ‘alleged infringement’.
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@45
You are correct in the fact that most movies suck.
You are wrong about how much money they make. They have set industry records. However they want more especially the leechers like the mpiaa, ifpi etc. who have milked this industry for years and provided squat.
They set the ratings, wow. And most movie houses wont show the film without a rating.
@33 Holy Crap
You are absolutely right on this. Sadly it’s been this way in all governments around the world. Corporations have way too much control over our governments. Now that they have gotten away with piece of crap in the British Parliament, it will be only a matter of time in other governments around the world. If you think it will just stop at the Internet and these so-called copyright law amendments, think again. They will have governments doing what they want to increase their greed and power. Our governments have become a joke thanks to the corruption brought on by Big Business
I’m not being funny but i wonder how long it will be till they start going after the VPN providers…
Why are their copyrights held in higher regard than our humans rights to a fair trial? All this will achive is forcing file-sharers underground and cutting off vital internet access to the wrongly accused (we’re talking about an industry that tried to sue a dead person and a laser printer).
It’s all about control on a world wide scale. It won’t be our governments, it will be the ISP’s in league with the Hollywood mogul’s. If you remember when this all started, it was Metallica sniveling about thier music on Napster. So, not only did they allow Napster to continue, but made millionares of them. At that time P2P such as Napster, Limewire, etc were declared illegal here in the US, by the Courts. However, Bittorrent is NOT illegal. Thus, the suits like the Aussies have to force the ISP to disconnect “Criminal” users.
And a no expense to themselves. Pretty slick. I got “3 strikes” at one time. Then a fourth. Verizon came out of nowhere at me with it. Now a fourth. Verizon will have to shut me off eventually, but that doesn’t make what is happening any less appalling that I will be forced in what I can and cannot do with my own machine. With all the real crime going on on the internet I agree that some monotering is necessary. Anyway, I am rambling.
These things set a very bad precedent and have already begun.
I hope on 21st Dec. 2012 all the politicians will die.
@51: If those bastards get their way, it’ll be sooner than we think.
It’s ridiculous. I have a feeling that there are massive amounts of money involved here, no non-essential industry could have a government by its balls otherwise.
@ nogoodwillcomeofthis
That’s because the media is controlled by the MAFFIA!
And I don’t think we are safe here in the colonies, ACTA is coming and the N*A is already monitoring the data pipes in the name of national security.
These kinds of things can be good.
If an insane law like this came into effect it would just help with pushing anonymity services into their next generation of performance and availability.
Its a sad state of affairs in the uk as fore mentioned by other posters this is everybodys proble. We really do need to fight and make people aware and as I for one am gonna use my vote in the next general election not to vote for either labour conservative or the lib dems as it would be in all our best interest to give one of the other partys ago.
So to anybody with a bit of of techenical knowlegde I urge you to create a facebook group about all this and send it to everybody u know and so on that way we are doing something as ppl with take notice on a social networking site because the downing street website petions just get ignored pretty obvious really.
SO DO UR BIT AND CHANGE OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY FOR THE BETTER ANY WAY YOU CAN CAUSE IF WE DONT OUR FUTURES IN THE UK ARE LOOKING BLEAK
A shame. It’s not gonna stop file sharing, or ‘piracy’ if you wish. But it will trouble a lot of innocent people.
Truly a shame.
“Id also recommend you start encrypting any hard drives you get from now on. Truecrypt is my favourite, as it allows you to create hidden encrypted sections within another one!”
Refusual to hand over encryption keys in the UK is a “serious offense”. (Seriously.)
Five year prison sentence if I remember correctly.
What is happening to the world? It’s only a matter of time before the government will control all peoples life’s in detail.
I think you’ll find this has happened with every major “decision” … which have already been made long before public get to hear about it.
Democracy is the choice between being punched in the face or kicked in the balls.
@60 its only 5 in terrorism related cases… its 2 years max for non terrorism cases!
Are they really going to go as far as seizing our computers though?
I though this was all about getting letters from your ISP?
If I get my first letter I will switch to a VPN, if I somehow get a second I will stop my downloading habits!
I think it’s quite simple to make all of this a non-issue and have no influence on you whatever. Stick with CC stuff, create stuff yourself, have nothing to do with corporate product. Nothing at all.
Just go about your way on the internet, say whatever you wish to say exercising your rights to freedom of speech, do not purchase anything you do not want and pay the asking price for the goods and services you wish to partake of. It’s a very fair system that preserves your freedom of choice.
it’s also been working nicely for a thousand years. The internet won’t ever change this.
Piracy is so 2007. grin.
@#36
you are so right I am from the u.s and you are so right!!! just a matter of time???
Many, many people making remarks about the bigger picture, i.e. no right to court process, invasion of privacy, passing into “law” without Parliamentary oversight.
So many “freedoms” have been seriously reduced or removed in the last 20 years, in the name of fighting Terrorism. You can’t peacefully protest in parts of London if you have banners the Police take exception to.
See https://p10.secure.hostingprod.com/@spyblog.org.uk/ssl/parliamentprotest/2009/10/indymedia_brian_haw_arrrested_in_parliament_square_yet_again.html
British people are sleep-walking into a Police State, all in the name of Counter Terrorism. Smoke&mirrors
However on the micro-scale, the parts of this DE Legislation affecting downloading p2p ISPs, whilst the 12 to 25 age group may be outraged, and some people in older groups thae majority of the Sun Comic reading population have no concept of or care about p2p “$haring”. They simply won’t even recognise how this could affect anybody except a few “pervs” Plus your Daily Mail brigade will positively cheer if a few youngsters get their notices and disconnects. Plus how are you going to write to your MP and say”I completely oppose the bill to outlaw my Democratic right to illegally download films and mucis and software”?
Like any MPs going to agree with that, even IF they do understand P2P.
Just going on IPs harvested that do not identify a particular person, is definitely wrong. But what argument can you possibly legally raise>?
@65 Im in the US as well, nice to know there are still one or two that have half a brain left….
#66
P2P is not Illegal,just some of the content might be (but thats another argument)
#1, Invasion of Privacy is (or at least should be) illegal..(apparently not everybody believes so)
#2, internet and just plain freedom are being taken away, systematically all for simple greed, thats really is all it is, greed.
I really cant see how anything like this could even be considered in any country that claims it’s citizens live in a “free Society” “Have Freedom” and the right to choose…
in short, every thing abbout this proposed “Bill” should be considered Illegal…
Homer, you struggle to build a good case why you must be legally permitted to steal what is in fact, intended for sale.
Your struggle is a public argument with reality.
Embrace reality and feel better. :-)
@61 They already do control most of your life. The small part they don’t, they are working on, to alledgedly “stop terrorism”
@RM in principle you are right. Obtain ($hare) nothing with a perceived commercial value, no-one will come after you or disconnect you.
Also right-don’t buy anything commercial either – it’s all a pile of S |-| 1 t according to most on here anyway.
But we cant create our own films? Ink cost £0.25m (an indie) and may not make its money back-certainly now it’s been pirated to death. Donations donations donations (as Tony Blair didn’t say)
I can’t play a note which is why I buy every album I want to hear-rewarding talent. I even paid to download “Shul” as seen on Freakbits.
If I had that sort of talent I want some return.
If you dont like it – don’t buy it, but don’t steal it either. If you hate Hollywood and it’s empty facile shallow *stars* then ignore them, but don’t gratify them by $sharing/$tealing their stuff, although they try spurious outlandish out of scope way-off value fines they are still gratified you want a *copy*
If we all boycotted them by not buying it or $sharing/$tealing it. they’d soon |o 1 $ $ 0 F F
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/dontdisconnectus/
@RM @68
Have you even *read* the post?
If you had you’d see that your post is nonsense…where do I argue stealing is right..quite the opposite. If you are going to troll, at least read the posts you are trolling…
I think you need a sniff of reality…..
PM me at Im_a_troll_who_cant_read@reality.googlemail.com
@67 No p2p isn’t illegal, it’s 99.8% of the content that’s illegal.
I meant, P2P, in regard to being cut-off for illegal $haring, just doesn’t feature on the radar of many people who belive what Murdoch-O-vision shows them or whar Murdoch_Print tells them.
They will just sleepwalk to loss of privacy and freedom as(on the face of it) it just doesn’t affect them.
Look how much content is on http://www.legaltorrents.com/ and the Pirate Bay…..(even ignoring Linux distros) mmmm no contest.
If that’s the real Reasoned Mind, I would be less vocal about pirates. Not everyone that can hear you is sympathetic to your way of thinking.
Our ears are everywhere, and we are listening!
Cory Doctorow wrote (at Boingboing)
#2 posted by Ambiguity, July 9, 2009 5:39 AM responded:
Cory Doctorow responded:
To true Homer…
I’ve tried telling people here in the colonies just how much of our privacy these corporate tyrants are trying to take, all in the name of fighting piracy. They all just say they don’t care or it doesn’t concern them, just leave them alone so they can watch their UNreality show. Damn halfwits will scream when someone hacks their connection and they lose everything.
And RM, I agree with the earlier comment I wouldn’t gloat to much or to loudly, a lot of people hate you and your kind and many are not that stable with the way the economy is. You mouth off like that in public and the wrong person will hear you.
Damn, sounds like I’m trying to protect him. Wash my mouth out with gasoline.
A man is free because he has the brains and the courage to stand on his own feet and go his own way. And for a man to remain free, he and his fellow men must be strong enough to resist those who would enslave them.
“As Huntington observes, ‘Truman had been able to govern the country with the cooperation of a relatively small number of Wall Street lawyers and bankers,’ a rare acknowledgement of the realities of political power in the United States. But by the mid-1960s this was no longer possible since ‘the sources of power in society had diversified tremendously,’ the ‘most notable new source of power’ being the media. In reality, the national media have been properly subservient to the state propaganda system, a fact on which I have already commented. Huntington’s paranoia about the media is, however, widely shared among ideologists who fear a deterioration of American global hegemony and an end to the submissiveness of the domestic population.”
– From; The Carter Administration: Myth and Reality,
by Noam Chomsky
Excerpted from Radical Priorities, 1981
What/who is the media nowadays? Is it the internet? Peers? Us?
@Anon – is that a threat towards RM, are you gathering their IP add or what>?
@TF An article about loosing freedom and then – next-up – blog-post about the most downloaded pirated movies on BT – irony or pure coincidence??
LOLz
Its only a matter of time before the USA tries to adopt a similar plan. I’m sure the white house is thinking “Ah. Now there is a good idea!”
VPN for me too when it happens. The internet account isn’t even under my name anymore, but I’ll gladly pay for VPN just to keep what I do on the internet to myself.
I’m not gloating, but I am happy that pirates are finally beginning to see the light that they, themselves, handed over the high cards to the cartels in this mess.
STOP BUYING and as Homer reminds you, stop stealing it, too.
And they die. Simple.
But I think pirates TRY to confuse freedom of speech with free taking of merchandise, movies and music and so they walk right into government’s hands.
One thing is very clear. No one ever suggested any of this bullshit before piracy and if they had it would have been laughed at as fascistic and unneeded. Now the industries are being ransacked. The piracy is causing these remedies. And pirates are finally acknowledging it.
Progress.
VPN and encryption licensing is next. You watch. And an unauthorized VPN/encryption will be a criminal offense. And the defense?
“If you haven’t anything to hide, you don’t need either. And if you need one, we want to know what is being hidden.”
Pirates are causing all of this.
@Reasoned Mind: Please give me your IP and I’ll fill a complaint to your ISP that you downloaded a work of mine (with a link to it so they can see the actual work that it is mine).
Of course they don’t need to verify that YOU did, and you can’t defend yourself anyway.
You’ll wake up without internet. Progress. :)
And fascism is never acceptable, even LESS if the industry whiners are the ones who promote it.
Democracy ? It´s funnt how people actually believe in it.
War is Peace
Ignorance is Strength
Freedom is Slavery
@83 Pity it wasn’t comment 84!!!
As those slogans are very 1984 by George Orwell. It took another 26 years but he was spot on.
The thought Police, The Telescreen, Big Brother, HateCrime ThoughtCrime DoublePlusUnGood.
Government crackdown is a reasonable response to the terroristic tactics of hide-and-infringe digital pirates.
None of this would have ever been suggested had the paradigms of real world behavior been adopted online as well as was always roundly expected. Do you think the military and the academic world (the original Arpanet) leaped at the chance to pilfer online? Uh NO.
If the kind of destructive anarchy that is online today were prevalent in real life?
Sensible government would have an obligation to the same response. Now stop whining. Learn to behave online or pay the consequences. You did this to yourselves and you know it.
You again. (Or Your name)
Comparing online file transfer with terrorism.
You really don´t like changes right ? that´s a classic “it always was, it always shall be”
It would be *fantastic*. Imagine people actually doing stuff or themselves rather than delegating to others
Ok mister. I shall comply.
That’s enough. I’m outta here…….
Pirates are causing all of this.
Complete and utter bollocks.
The main cause is the grossly negligent, incompetent, and avaricious failure of the copyright industry to come to terms with the realities of 21st century technological, economic, and social evolution, despite ample advance warning of these changes.
I would willingly and happily pay a substantial monthly subscription fee to to legally (and easily) access all the content currently available via bit torrent and news groups (within very broad legal limits). But it is not on offer. Whose fault is that? The consumers? Nope. There is clearly a serious demand for it. So where is the great free market, profit making solution from the supplier end?
[crickets]
You guys are waaaaaaaaaay behind the 8 ball.
If this current situation demonstrates anything, it is some of the serious limits of the hardcore legalistic, free market, property rights approach to culture and information.
@31
I totally agree. I wouldn’t be surprised if the government purposely under-educated the population, so as to make sure they couldn’t even vote for their, so called, freedom.
EVERYONE is brain-washed these days and can’t see past their TV screens..
I do believe i’m indefinately leaving this shithole of a country so somewhere more liberal and civilised – Amsterdam, Sweden even Russia sounds pretty appetising right now haha.
Never give up!
Peace
http://linkcyb.org – Rapidshare Links ;)
we help them to promote their films/music/etc…to the four corners of the earth.
we make people discover ( and buy…;)) their stuff.people that would probably never have heard of them without US.
we promote their stuff!!!that’s FREE advertisement.I think we should ask for a little compensation…let’s say…20% of their REVENUES.And then we are going to extend our rights to that compensation to …let’s say 70 YEARS.So everytime their stuff is going to be aired/diffused/published,WE will get 20% of their sales.
that sounds just fair to me…after all WE ARE promoting their stuff with OUR means: broadband we PAY for,PC we pay for,bandwidth we PAY for+ all the equipment to do so ( keyboards,screens,etc…),and OUR TIME.I think it deserves a little something in return,don’t you think?
Oh,and i almost forgot: could that little something be anything else but trouble,please?
We’re being fair: we watch for not free ( bandwidth costs,etc…),but at a reduced fee and then promote ( or kill) what we watch…consider us as the critics of the internet.
If it’s good we’ll let the HOLE world know and you will make even more money then you would have ever made without us.FACT!
show a little respect to your fans…;)
(Apologies for double comment.. Felt it was needed though)
@85
Could you please identify the ways in which the pirates aforementioned in your post were …. ‘terroristic’ ?
I’m really struggling to remember whats happened. Oh, i do remember there being large fines being handed to unsuspecting people. Hmmmm, THREATS of disconnection. Ermmmm, warnings, strikes, charges, restrictions.. are ALL causing terror – largely victimised rather than suspected.
Get your facts straight.
Get the industry straight.
Something happens now!
oh and i forgot ( how forgetful am i…?)
i sell YOUR stuff as well as all the other big names,and i have noticed something: you are moaning ( you and the big fishes…) that piracy kills your revenues (ah ah).well that’s funny because i see 20/40 year old movies selling for $10/$15.
So …even if you guys are “losing out” on your revenues,that money is still coming through the back door with movies that don’t need anything to get made with.Just put them in the oven to re-heat and sell them over-priced.
Don’t you see they are using you to get to us by saying that they are losing money because of piracy.They still make that money with a lot of old stuff they just put back on the market.Stuff they don’t have to invest for…FREE stuff they SELL us.And you,poor brain-dead artists are falling for it.
they are manipulating you,when are you going to realise that?
hope it will be before you get broke ( oops,i forgot you were rich by millions…silly me)
get a hancky and go play with the rest of you little friends on the play-ground,and don’t be late for tea or you’ll get grounded…cry baby!!
@6
@22
It would be far more convincing if you didn’t sound like a twelve year old, with your lower-case “i”s and all that.
you know what: let’s not ask for money for our advertisement.
let’s just ask them to let us avertise their stuff for FREE.
just let us be…just let us do…just let us live…just LEAVE US ALONE!!!
where else can you get world-wide free advertisement?
you should pay us for what we do instead of trying to kill us.
we’re working for you,boss.
you’re making the films->we watch->we promote->YOU sell->YOU’re making money->where the hell IS the problem????and all that for FREE?damn crazy fools you are…
Welcome to the world of corporate control!
There is nothing wrong with your computer. Do not attempt to change ISP’s. We are controlling transmission.
If we wish to make your life miserable, we will. If we wish to make you give us money for products that are not worth it, we will.
We will control the interlink. We will control the media. We can rob old women who sing. We can put you in jail for no provable reason.
For the rest of your life, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your computer.
You win Reasoned Mind, I’ll never download another movie, album, game or anything else. You win.
However I also will never buy another product generated by your masters. I will never go to any movie again, buy another CD, DVD or any future media you may try to foist on me. I have already downloaded the internet so I don’t need any more of your crap.
Screw the artists, if they had any backbone at all they would tell you f.ck off and go independent. But they won’t because they are a bunch of brainless twits who can’t hold a real job. Screw them!
So you win Reasoned Mind…NOTHING! Enjoy it.
“14 Nov 23, 2009 at 14:40 by Pathetic uk
What are you talking about fighting wars around the world? You havn’t fought in nothing since the US asked you for additional support in the middle east.
The UK is a joke. This just proves it.
Yes, fire up your VPN’s and continue to take it up your back ends”
Really?. Well just last night ANOTHER British soldier was killed in Afghanistan, but of course that must be lies as we haven’t fought anywhere since you asked us for additional support in The Middle East. To use a rather nice British term, you sir, are a complete KNOB. Oh, and don’t mention Vietnam, you LOST that one didn’t you :)
“Government crackdown is a reasonable response to the terroristic tactics of hide-and-infringe digital pirates.”
wow, terrorist tactics? hahaha.
And I am afraid this is happening all across the world. Japan are looking into similar legislation, as are Sweden, the US and other countries. France already has it. Don’t be so stupid enough to think this is just the UK, However our wonderful, unelected and hideously corrupt Lord Mandleson is proposing to go further than other countries. That must have been a nice meal and a damn fat envelope that Geffen gave him on his yacht. Or maybe it was Lord Mandy that took it up the arse, which he does anyway being an outed gay politician.
First we are thieves, next we are terrorists. Whats the matter trolls, getting scared?
It’s a WW issue,
fight for our rights..
That is totally sick!
As long as the real issue of internet control is hidden behind the word Piracy, they win.
Oh have the tables have turned.
I remember last year when foreigners were dissing America and laughing at us because of our lawmakers…now look at them.
By calling us terrorists, they can do anything they want. Anything at all. Invade a country without proof, no problem. Bomb innocent civilians, still no problem, just the price of war. Remove humanities right to privacy. You don’t need it, because if your trying to be private you MUST be hiding something, therefore you are a terrorist.
That’s right Reasoned Mind spew your filth, slander and garbage all week then come the weekend, you don’t have an opinion, because whore that you are, your not paid to have one on the weekend.
At least we are men enough to have our own beliefs and opinions, NOT one I’m paid to have. You and the other trolls are beneath all contempt.
I’m personally asking TorrentFreak to ban them from posting, as all they do is incite anger and trouble. You already block people for various reasons, so block them and let them feel what its like to be without a forum to spread their vile accusations and FUD! And if/when they change their nick, it will be easy to tell by the vitriol they are spewing forth, block it as well. TF supports freedom of speech, they DO NOT! I don’t want or need to hear their lies and paid for opinions. They are trolls, do your job.
There’s nothing to fear
but Peer-to-peer,
(itself. ;)
P2P does not mean p2gov or p2corp, it means what it means; peer-to-peer;
we to we;
ye to ye…
Arrr, ’tis true…
A kind of FU
to the other 2.
(gov/corp)
(Flexes poodle muscles)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8374732.stm
Good article……..The whole point, as I see it. Is these folks even think that way, much less act on it.
Control the media, control the mind.
Very scary and dangerous, to say the least.
System breakdown imminent
Nature’s gone belligerent
Pilot-aero-pre-program
Oh, that human element
Driven by testosterone,
Adrenaline & pheromone
Crowning glory of creation
Super-human incarnation
Failure is man’s fate
Blacklist of mistakes
Nothing’s what it seems
Blown to smithereens
Commandeer own your fear
Associate, and integrate
A rabble rouser in your face
A proclamation of defense
The outrage of the innocent
Unyeilding to the consequence
A rabble rouser to the end
Fight! rabble rouser
Fight! rabble rouser
Determined to the end
Ruthlessly & violent
Ruler of the earth
Subordinate the universe
Commandeer own your fear
Associate, and integrate
A rabble rouser in your face
A proclamation of defense
The outrage of the innocent
Unyeilding to the consequence
A rabble rouser to the end
Fight! rabble rouser
Fight!
Fight!
System breakdown imminent
Nature’s gone belligerent
Pilot-error-pre-program
Oh, that human element
Livin’ out the thin illusion
Evolution revolution
Time and time and time and again
Life is short and God is man
Commandeer own your fear
Associate, and integrate
A rabble rouser in your face
A proclamation of defense
The outrage of the innocent
Unyeilding to the consequence
A rabble rouser to the end
Fight!
Fight! rabble rouser
Democracy FAIL
Songs won’t help… Hahaha britain gets owned… loving it. Didn’t capitalize the “b” in britain for a reason.
Also…
Do you mother fuckers ever brush??? ugh your teeth.
impotent and insignificant England = fail
When Laos passes a similar resolution, I’ll start to worry.
YAWN…
I found a HOTTEST interracial club =MixedConnect *.* C0M=for black Women and white Men, or black Men and white Women, to interact with each other. Interracial is not a problem here, but a great merit to cherish!
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