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Britain's new Internet law -- as bad as everyone's been saying,
and worse. Much, much worse.
,----[ Quote ]
| 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?).
`----
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/20/britains-new-interne.html
UK and 12 Other Member States issue Statement on
Telecoms Reform Package [UPDATED]
,----[ Quote ]
| Almost two weeks ago I was sent a draft copy
| of a statement the UK had sent to the
| Council of Europe which it wanted the
| Council to publish on behalf of all member
| states. The statement was based on how the
| UK would like the Telecoms Reform Package to
| be interpreted by Member States (MS) and
| contained a few paragraphs twisting the
| intent of ammendments to Article 5(3) of
| Directive 2002/58/EC with regards to
| informed consent.
|
| [...]
|
| My source goes on to explain that from a
| legal standpoint the statement is âwithout
| valueâ as all member states are required to
| change their national laws to reflect the
| revised text of Article 5(3) and also
| enforce those laws.
`----
https://nodpi.org/2009/11/23/uk-and-12-other-member-states-issue-statement-on-telecoms-reform-package/
Digital economy bill: A punishing future
,----[ Quote ]
| The digital economy bill is misnamed. A more
| honest title for the legislation, recently
| introduced in the Lords, would be the
| copyright protection and punishment bill. It
| is less about creating the digital
| businesses of the 21st century than
| protecting the particular 20th century
| business models used in music and film.
`----
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/23/editorial-digital-economy-bill
Mandy and Me: some thoughts on the Digital Economy Bill
,----[ Quote ]
| ISPs hold an unfortunate piggy-in-the-middle
| position in all this, forced by the threat
| of a fine of up to Â250,000 to co-operate
| with rightsholders, even though they gain
| nothing from the process but overheads and
| customer ill-will. I have said elsewhere
| that I do not think it is just or sensible
| to enrol ISPs as âcopyright copsâ, but if
| they are to be, they need strong protection
| from liability, ideally in the form of an
| indemnity from the rightsholders who
| actually plan to benefit from this whole
| stramash. ISPs face potential liability for
| sending out libellous allegations to
| subscribers, and again for disconnecting the
| wrong person on erroneous evidence, and in
| breach of contract, However currently all
| ISPs get by way of protection is the
| feather-light provision that an indemnity
| may â not must â be provided by the Code to
| be drafted (again, no further details nowâ
| see new s 124J(4)(b). If I were an ISP, Iâd
| be going out now to price a shedload of
| legal liability insurance J - or to check
| out moving offshore.
`----
http://blogscript.blogspot.com/2009/11/mandy-and-me-some-thoughts-on-digital.html
Mandelson's 'three strikes' rule in jeopardy
,----[ Quote ]
| The European Parliament tried hard to change
| the directive in question and proposed
| Amendment 138, which read: 'No restriction
| may be imposed on the fundamental rights and
| freedoms of end users without a prior ruling
| by the judicial authorities, notably in
| accordance with Article 11 of the Charter of
| Fundamental Rights of the European Union on
| freedom of expression and information.'
`----
http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2253711/mandelson-three-strikes-rules
Radioactive assumptions in the Digital Economy Bill
,----[ Quote ]
| Alarmist conspiracy theory? Perhaps. But
| with the strange business of ACTA â the
| Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement,
| negotiated in high secrecy but reputed to
| impose draconian rules on over a billion
| people to match or exceed those proposed in
| the bill â it's hard to argue that these
| issues are receiving proper public debate.
`----
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/leader/0,1000002982,39899839,00.htm
Recent:
Mandelson gives go ahead to âthree strikesâ
,----[ Quote ]
| Listening to Lord Mandelson today at C&binet
| was very unpleasant.
|
| Mandelson announced one substantial policy:
| a âclampdownâ on detectable file sharing.
|
| Even MI5 disagree with him â they are
| convinced we will see a rise of a âDark Netâ
| of infringers.
`----
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/2009/mandelson-gives-go-ahead-to-three-strikes
Parliamentary Comms Group Says âNoâ to UK 3-Strikes
,----[ Quote ]
| An increasing death-knell is sounding for Lord
| Mandelsonâs proposals for 3-strikes Internet
| disconnections. The latest blow comes from the All Party
| Parliamentary Communications Group. After a consultation
| earlier this year, they have now published their
| response, and itâs not one favorable to âDarth Mandyâ
| and his plans.
`----
http://torrentfreak.com/parliamentary-comms-group-says-no-to-uk-3-strikes-091017/
U.K. Minister Defends Internet Suspension In MPAA Speech
,----[ Quote ]
| Meanwhile, a joint statement from the Featured Artists Coalition, the British
| Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) and the Music Producers
| Guild also condemns the plan.
`----
http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3ie0fe1e4b8826bd934c32abe14fad750c
Lammy appeals to film and music industries to help tackle online piracy
,----[ Quote ]
| Lammy cites apparent inconsistencies in copyright law, citing the example of
| a CD owner who wants a copy on his MP3 player. "Is he breaking the rules or
| just refusing to be ripped off?"
|
| "Something isn't right with copyright. Not just in the UK but as a whole. And
| I want to do something about that," he says.
`----
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/sep/03/david-lammy-speaks-out-on-online-piracy
An open letter to Lord Mandelson
,----[ Quote ]
| Your proposal is wrong for purely economic reasons. It is wrong because it
| will stifle a major opportunity for economic growth right at the point where
| we need it most. And it is wrong because as a government your role is not to
| legislate to protect business models but to regulate in a way that balances
| the risks of damage in one sector against the potential for encouraging new
| sectors to develop.
`----
http://blog.openwetware.org/scienceintheopen/2009/09/04/an-open-letter-to-lord-mandelson/
Creative industries and consumersâ rights
,----[ Quote ]
| We hope that the Government will consider genuinely consumersâ rights in its
| endeavours to protect the creative industries.
`----
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article6819093.ece
Good Thoughts on Naughty Lord Mandelson
http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2009/09/good-thoughts-on-naughty-lord-mandelson.html
The Right to Science and Culture
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1354788
Peter Mandelson Defends His Sudden Conversion To Kicking People Off The
Internet
,----[ Quote ]
| You do realize that a UK-based music organization (PRS) recently released a
| report noting that the music industry in the UK is actually growing? Right?
| These are the sort of facts the Secretary of Business knows, right? And if
| the industry is growing, despite complaining about file sharing, isn't it
| possible that the real issue is just focusing on business model improvement,
| rather than the hand of gov't stepping in and slapping people around?
`----
http://techdirt.com/articles/20090831/0134186048.shtml
BSA Jumps Onto The Three Strikes Bandwagon
,----[ Quote ]
| More troubling, however, is that when questioned about the new statement by
| Ars Technica, the BSA said it was necessary because "last year our industry
| lost over $50 billion (USD) worldwide." Hmm. It's really quite troubling that
| the BSA still stands by these numbers when they've been debunked so
| thoroughly over and over again. They count the "retail value" of every piece
| of software as being "lost," which is clearly a lie. Five years ago, the
| research company that runs these studies for the BSA, IDG, flat out said that
| the BSA was wrong in claiming that "the retail value" of the software is the
| same as "losses." So why does the BSA continue to get away with claiming it?
`----
http://techdirt.com/articles/20090831/0230056052.shtml
UK "Three Strikes": Please Write to Your MP
,----[ Quote ]
| Yesterday I wrote a quick analysis of the insane U-turn effected by the UK
| government over "three strikes and you're out". Below I've posted the
| corresponding letter that I've sent to my MP on the subject.
`----
http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2009/08/uk-three-strikes-please-write-to-your.html
Fon and Games with "Three Strikes"
,----[ Quote ]
| Suppose, now, that people use some of those million hotspots to download
| copyright material: how easy is it going to be (a) establishing exactly who
| downloaded it and (b) cutting off that person?
|
| Gives a new meaning to the term "hotspot"...
`----
http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2009/08/fon-and-games-with-three-strikes.html
Lord Mandelson pays off his Â750,000 mortgage within a year
,----[ Quote ]
| The mystery of how Lord Mandelson managed to afford a Â2.4 million town house
| in Regent's Park took a new twist this week with his claim in a newspaper
| interview that he did not possess a mortgage on the property.
`----
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6011346/Lord-Mandelson-pays-off-his-750000-mortgage-within-a-year.html
38 Degrees backs campaign against âDigital Dictatorâ Mandelson
,----[ Quote ]
| Online campaigners 38 Degrees have launched an attack on Mandelsonâs plans to
| give himself the power to order internet cut-offs without trial. Other
| campaigners from a range of NGOs are getting in touch with us about this:
| there is a growing sense of outrage among people who know that the internet
| is the most important political tool we have.
`----
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2009/08/38-degrees-backs-campaign-against-digital-dictator-mandelson/
Taking something for nothing is wrong . . .
,----[ Quote ]
| [by] Peter Mandelson
`----
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6814187.ece
UK Wants to Zap File-Sharers
,----[ Quote ]
| It seems the British government is going loony for anti-piracy rhetoric from
| the likes of U2 and David Geffen.
`----
http://newteevee.com/2009/08/25/uk-wants-to-zap-file-sharers/
Mandelson goes to war on teenagers downloading their music and movies... just
days after dining with anti-piracy billionaire
,----[ Quote ]
| Lord Mandelson launched a crackdown on internet piracy just days after
| meeting a leading Hollywood critic of illegal file sharing.
|
| The business secretary plans to criminalise the estimated seven million
| people - one in 12 of the population - who illicitly download music and films
| over the internet.
`----
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206901/Mandelson-launches-crackdown-file-sharing--just-days-meeting-record-producer.html
âTaking something for nothing is wrongâ â No, not expenses, data.
,----[ Quote ]
| In the meantime I am going to increase my sharing of Linux distros and hope
| that someone tries to accuse me of sharing files illegallyâ..lets see how
| much of my unlimited monthly broadband I can use. Maybe time is up for the
| proprietary model? Maybe you should now be looking towards FOSS and the GPL?
| You certainly donât have to worry about sharing issues then.
`----
http://openbytes.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/taking-something-for-nothing-is-wrong-no-not-expenses-data/
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