The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) has today urged government MPs not to delay the controversial Digital Economy Bill (DEB), despite widespread opposition. Concern over the bill mounted after it rushed through proposals aimed at forcing UK broadband ISPs to block copyright infringing websites and disconnect "suspected" illegal ISP file sharers.John Lovelock, Chief Executive of FAST, said:
"The software industry and other copyright holders in the wider creative industry welcome the attention that is being focused on copyright issues in this digital age. We urge clear action against copyright infringers using the Bill’s provisions after Royal Assent.
Delaying the legislation unnecessarily in the Commons will not help. The Bill has had scrutiny in the Lords to excess. FAST has lobbied for intellectual property legislation since its inception in 1984.
Whilst campaigners have rightly pointed out that we shouldn’t allow politicians the power to meddle unrestrained with our copyright regime, let us be clear, there are checks and balances in place being eminently sensible given the rapid pace in digital technology and the difficulties in protecting intellectual property."
"The software industry and other copyright holders in the wider creative industry welcome the attention that is being focused on copyright issues in this digital age. We urge clear action against copyright infringers using the Bill’s provisions after Royal Assent.
Delaying the legislation unnecessarily in the Commons will not help. The Bill has had scrutiny in the Lords to excess. FAST has lobbied for intellectual property legislation since its inception in 1984.
Whilst campaigners have rightly pointed out that we shouldn’t allow politicians the power to meddle unrestrained with our copyright regime, let us be clear, there are checks and balances in place being eminently sensible given the rapid pace in digital technology and the difficulties in protecting intellectual property."
Many would probably disagree that the bill has had "scrutiny in the Lords to excess," especially after the significant website-blocking Amendment 120A surfaced and gained approval within the space of around two weeks.
Few would disagree that copyright infringement does need to be tackled but, as it stands today, there are more than a few problems with DEB. Not least over the lack of detail in how those "checks and balances" or the appeal process itself will work.
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Comments: 5
timelessPosted: 18 March, 2010 - 3:36 PM
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imho they before any legislation is ever passed one needs to know the technology, after all understanding comes through knowledge... however from what l understand the proposed bill is pretty much for copyright owners who continue to ignore technology and use unreliable methods of finding those that infringe and pirate their content.
in fact if they had any technical knowledge and took the time to understand it, then they wouldnt need to hire law firms to send out mass mailings to "suspected" piracy without first learning about the technology to pinpoint actual users rather than sacring innocent ppl into paying for something they havent done!!
if anything tho, the industries who complain should make use of the technology thats affecting them and turn it into something that compliments them.. then again they rip us off enough already, their wallets have overflowed for years!
VMPosted: 18 March, 2010 - 4:44 PM
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i wouldn't be too surprise if all p2p , usenxt, file-sharing will be no longer everywhere on the sites by 2014/15.
bt, vm and other isp's will improve their network once all file-sharing is ended.
timelessPosted: 19 March, 2010 - 1:34 AM
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heh, l bet you it is... program makers will just find new and more covert ways to hide how they work and transfer data, its a never ending cycle.. if one person stops someone from doing something, they will just find a new way to do it, its like telling someone not to do something, but the more you tell them not to the more they go against your will and go behind your back to to it.
SteBePosted: 19 March, 2010 - 5:10 PM
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What can be done can be undone.
Unless they rig up something akin to the great firewall of china, it's going to be a no brainer how to get around any website ban or even know who's downloading what. Are they also going to ban proxies and VPN's.
shivermetimbersPosted: 19 March, 2010 - 5:37 PM
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The genie is out of the bottle and no half baked legislation is going to put it back in, I am looking forward to the challenge.
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