UK Copyright Lobby attempting to restrict the Internet in the UK

magick · 1 Jul 2011 at 08:28

LEAKED: UK copyright lobby holds closed-door meetings with gov't to discuss national Web-censorship regime

Cory Doctorow at 2:46 AM Wednesday, Jun 22, 2011

A group of UK copyright lobbyists held confidential, closed-door meetings with Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries to discuss a plan to allow industry groups to censor the Internet in the UK. The proposal has leaked, and it reveals a plan to establish "expert bodies" that would decide which websites British people were allowed to see, to be approved by a judge using a "streamlined" procedure. The procedure will allow for "swift" blocking in order to shut down streaming of live events.

Public interest groups like the Open Rights Group asked to attend the meeting, but were shut out, presaging a regulatory process that's likely to be a lopsided, industry-centric affair that doesn't consider the public. The process is characterised as "voluntary," but the proposal makes reference to the Digital Economy Act, which allows for mandatory web-blocking (thanks to the action of LibDem Lords who submitted a proposal written by a record industry lobbyist as an amendment to the DEA).

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/06/22/leaked-uk-copyright.html

Could this really succeed?

We all know powerful vested interests want to control the internet and the excuse of protecting copyrights maybe just the excuse needed to censor and regulate the net.

TheBigCheese · 1 Jul 2011 at 08:56

I think it could, I was reading on Think Broadband the other day that BT and TalkTalk have been refused to be able to appeal the Digital Ecnomy Act, arguing that it was pushed through without any proper consideration - which is very true.

So what do we have to do to find out how to navigate around these measures...better talk about it now while it's still legal to!

wildman · 1 Jul 2011 at 08:58

its simply not possible.

If the Uk start imposing severe restrictions on what we can see / use the interent for then I see a Human Rights case of epic proportions being raised and policing something as global as 'the internet' without the use of heavy censorship and restrictions such as you see in china is going to be an impossible task.

andicole0 · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:02

Maybe people in unaffected countries will be selling remote access to people who have been censored.

Andi.

Glaucus · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:03

Not going to happen, lobbyists can do what ever they want. It doesn't mean anything.

And if you think it might happen

http://action.openrightsgroup.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1422&ea.campaign.id=10992

Robbo · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:04

What a farce, this won't happen.

LateX'Dog · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:07

Robbo said:
What a farce, this won't happen.

It will and it already is.

ElliorR · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:11

I blame the UFO's.

Reaper 392 · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:12

well, if it does happen it'll take about 30 seconds for lulzsec to take it down again, so im not worried

also, the BBC have been bashing china (it is china im thinking about isnt it?) for many years about the great firewall of china, and now are creating their own version. ludicrous

OriginalJonty · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:12

Well the access to the Internet is being pushed to be considered a human right and any attempt to subvert that could be brought up in court.

TheBigCheese · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:19

Re-reading the OP I don't think it will happen quite like that, but I think they will try and put blocks on certain sites rather than allowing certain sites - the article is inflammatory but that doesn't mean it's completely wrong.

The amount of bizarre stuff that seems to have happened in the last few years...

People being arrested for taking photographs lawfully in public places.

Protests not being allowed near Parliament.

And the most bizarre one that made me take notice because of how ridiculous it was - certain 'adult' activities - because of lobbying by one woman whose daughter had been tragically murdered and a lot of tabloids with mock outrage it's become illegal to possess pictures of consenting adults doing certain consensual adult things (keeping the post family friendly!).

The legislation is so poor that it's still legal to do the stuff but you just can't have a picture of yourself doing it...???

I couldn't believe with the act we are talking about that it was rushed through in the closing hours of Parliament to become law without proper debate or even understanding!

It boggled my mind that things like that could actually happen in the UK, opened my eyes a bit.

Mr_Orange · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:25

There will always be a way around it but even so this is scary stuff. It really is the thin end of the wedge if it goes through. Places like youtube and facebook would be eligible for being blocked and this could all easily be expanded to blocking sites that the government doest like for the "security of the country".

Nitefly · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:28

Well there is a huge and problematic state of affairs with copyright infringement on the internet so you can't blame them for trying.

d_brennen · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:29

TheBigCheese said:
I couldn't believe with the act we are talking about that it was rushed through in the closing hours of Parliament to become law without proper debate or even understanding!

It boggled my mind that things like that could actually happen in the UK, opened my eyes a bit.

I can't believe the people making the law are all old codgers who know what a computer looks like, are so fantastically rich that they don't know what the cost of living is and are so bent that they probably could all be sent down for something or other

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Memphis · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:31

lol magick

TheYoungster · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:34

Since when has this been north korea?

Mr_Orange · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:36

AcidHell2 said:
And if you think it might happen

http://action.openrightsgroup.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1422&ea.campaign.id=10992

I've used that site to send a letter to my MP and I hope everyone here considers doing the same.

Dunks · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:36

Nitefly said:
Well there is a huge and problematic state of affairs with copyright infringement on the internet so you can't blame them for trying.

Yeah, so having 'expert panels' to decide what websites we can see is a good way of stopping this?

magick · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:36

TheBigCheese said:
Re-reading the OP I don't think it will happen quite like that, but I think they will try and put blocks on certain sites rather than allowing certain sites - the article is inflammatory but that doesn't mean it's completely wrong.

The amount of bizarre stuff that seems to have happened in the last few years...

People being arrested for taking photographs lawfully in public places.

Protests not being allowed near Parliament.

And the most bizarre one that made me take notice because of how ridiculous it was - certain 'adult' activities - because of lobbying by one woman whose daughter had been tragically murdered and a lot of tabloids with mock outrage it's become illegal to possess pictures of consenting adults doing certain consensual adult things (keeping the post family friendly!).

The legislation is so poor that it's still legal to do the stuff but you just can't have a picture of yourself doing it...???

I couldn't believe with the act we are talking about that it was rushed through in the closing hours of Parliament to become law without proper debate or even understanding!

It boggled my mind that things like that could actually happen in the UK, opened my eyes a bit.

i missed this. what was the act in question?