The Digital Economy Bill – a ‘brave new world’ right here, right now
The government now have passed a law that could cut you off the Internet
The Digital Economy Bill has been drafted largely by corporate content providers attempting to protect their industrial business models and includes measures to disconnect alleged copyright infringers without any judicial oversight.
Other impacts include forcing open wifi providers, such as cafes, bars, libraries, etc, to close their networks or face crippling penalties if someone downloads copyrighted material.
The Bill also gives unprecedented powers to the Government and State to block and censor websites it (or big business) doesn’t like and take over domain names where it sees fit.
In short, the Bill will make the UK’s Internet less free than China’s and stifle innovation, creativity and economic growth.
Unfortunately, this bill was passed last week as the government scrambled to get a number of bills passed before the general election this May.
The effects of the Digital Economy Bill as it stands will have serious implications for everyone. Us digital media types won’t be able to stop off at a café for a coffee and check our emails because free, open wifi will be shut off. Our children won’t be able to do their homework or learn about the wonders of the wider world because the household has been disconnected without evidence after someone has been suspected of ‘illegally’ sharing a large file.
So now we face a bleak future where creativity and self expression are under we are all now being shown the Orwell 1984 treatment.
