The State of the Internet in England

[village midget]

wasabichan

Actually, in this case a firewall might do the trick. Next is to decide who will be the first against it.

heart

[Scraps 2-point-0]

That... is completely ridiculous. I mean, the strength of a law certainly depends on how well it is enforced, and I doubt it will be enforced that strongly in the near future. But given time, it may become more like censorship, which I agree is definitely a problem across the pond. Stopping piracy is one thing, which I can understand. But to pair that with unlimited power over copyright laws? That's going MUCH too far.

[machinations]

the internet should be free.

[0-gitaroo_man-0]

Isn't this just the negative side to we-media that everyone was expecting and knew at some point was going to happen?

I hardly see the point in pushing this bill forward, there is hundreds of ways to download illegally without being detected and even without this I don't understand how the government will find the resources to police everyone who's online. The only effect I can see this bill having is it being used as a scare tactic to reduce the amount of illegal downloads... but if it's not advertised publicly the change in the law then I fail to see how this will work either. MASSIVE waste of time!

Edit: Machinations, the internet is free :]

[OneCreamerNoSugar]

You guys seen this?
Some guy singing his views in an open letter to Lord Mandelson about the bill.
I figured it was apropos.

[Banned Forever]

It is really annoying that not that many people even know about that law change.
If the public was to find out about those changes then I am sure that alot of protests would happen.

I mean, not only does it effect homes but also schools and public places.
Some kids could download some music at a school along with some other programs and then all of a sudden those companies come along and say that, that internet connection must be shut down.
Good bye computer lessons at that school.

Same for public places where people can use the internet.
Some people could download some files and then all of a sudden the internet is shut off for that public place.

This also goes for work places.
Think of all of the computer companies where people sit at their computers all day moving around files and finding information on the internet...etc.
Some people from those companies could download some copyrighted files and then goodbye internet connection for that company.

Same for any company which is run over the internet.
If the internet is shut off then your business is shut down until you get it back online.


Also for people over in the U.S.A. Do not worry since soon the same sort of plans may be coming along towards you:

Link

Key information from that link:

If the RIAA and MPAA had their way…

- The public would be encouraged to install anti-piracy software on their computers which would monitor their network for copyright-infringing materials. They are most likely referring to the Digital File Check application that they’ve been plugging for a while.

- Internet service providers would have to allow third parties to spy on the files that are transferred by their customers and check them against a reference database of “fingerprints” to check whether the files are infringing copyright or not.

- Torrent sites and file-hosters would have to preemptively filter content that is uploaded to or indexed by their sites. The reasoning behind this suggestion is that the regular notice and takedown procedures are time consuming and ineffective because content quickly reappears.

- Search engines, hosting companies, payment processors, advertising agencies, social networking sites and domain registrars would be encouraged to team up with copyright holders in order to prevent online piracy. The purpose of this collaboration would be to cut off sites that ‘facilitate’ copyright infringement.

- Consumers and websites that repeatedly infringe on the rights of copyright holders would lose their Internet access.

- Border checks of all electronic devices – You’re listening to your iPod and Customs agents yank it off you and check that you’ve bought the songs on it, etc.

– The RIAA wants tax-payer funded FBI squads to help protect movie releases. So basically, Agent Joe can be just about to land that big drug bust, but then his boss calls, “Hey, Iron Man 2 is about to be released, the movie producers want you and a thousand other agents to watch the copies that go out to the cinemas, to ensure there are no leaks”.

[Yami no Hitokiri]

About the border checks of electronic devices, those are already going on. There was a case where a guy coming in from Canada was jailed when he refused to give the INS his password to check his laptop's HDD.

[Banned Forever]

Yami no Hitokiri

About the border checks of electronic devices, those are already going on. There was a case where a guy coming in from Canada was jailed when he refused to give the INS his password to check his laptop's HDD.

Well I am pretty sure that the current border checks are for them to check if you have anything on your laptop which could be to do with terrorism.
At least, that is what I heard....

[Yami no Hitokiri]

That and kiddie porn, but it will take nothing for them to also add copyright checks. What if a person has music they purchased from Apple or Amazon on their computer? How are they supposed to be able to prove they purchased those MP3s?

[Seraphor]

It's absolutely ridiculous.
The people who passed this have no idea how the internet works.
The Lib Dems will repeal this if they get into power anyway, not that it would actually work if the Tories stuck with it.

[aisebon]

Arkady Andreyevich

But, but...stolen music sounds better! cry

(The secret ingredient is crime)


I really don't like this bill. Penalties that involve cutting off someone's internet are disgusting in the modern world: the internet is now (and was admitted to be, by the current PM!) a basic resource- similar in importance to electricity, gas and water. It's a vile invasion of your privacy, and moreover the punishment is absolutely abhorrent.

Here's to not voting labour! biggrin

[village midget]

@OneCreamerNoSugar, that is ******** brilliant! lol!

@banned forever, i agree that the lack of publicity over this bill is shameful. it is possibly the biggest change in law to civil liberties for a hundred years...

@scraps and gitaroo man, yes it is unimaginable how they will actually attempt to enforce it, and no it will not stop piracy, but the fact that they have conceived and passed this bill (seemingly without serious objection) is pretty shocking.

@seraphor, i really hope the lib dems do get in...