I spent all morning reading up on the ‘Digital Economy Bill’ after receiving a link that outlines fears the bill ‘wipe out indie WiFi hotspots’. Reading further into what the bill proposes; it really will affect the way we use the internet. First and foremost the bill’s intent is to stop illegal downloading and file-sharing. Though that is just one part, the key areas of the bill listed on the parliament.uk website are:

• extends the role of Ofcom to include reporting on communications infrastructure and media content
• imposes obligations on internet service providers to reduce online copyright infringement, and allows the Secretary of State to amend copyright legislation to the same end
• allows the Secretary of State to intervene in internet domain name registration
• requires Channel Four to provide public service content on a range of media
• provides more flexibility over the licensing of Channel 3 and Channel 5 services and allows Ofcom to appoint providers of regional and local news
• modifies the licensing regime to facilitate switchover to digital radio
• allows variation of the public service provision in Channel 3 and 5 licences
• provides Ofcom with additional powers in relation to electromagnetic spectrum access
• extends the range of video games that are subject to age-related classification
• makes provision for the regulation of copyright licensing
• includes non-print formats in the public lending right payment scheme

As you can see it crosses a range of digital media. Did you notice the one about domain registration? This is not as sinister as it sounds, intended to stop “phishing or for distributing computer viruses, for setting up websites selling fake tickets to events, and, in some circumstances, cyber-squatting and drop-catching”. It’s probably about time there was a modern infrastructure put in place to address digital media.

With that said this whole scheme seems less about protecting the copyright-holder and more about monitoring (and controlling) our internet use. The web was never intended as another means of control and as a result has flourished. Tim Berners-Lee (credited inventor of the web) was quoted saying,

“The challenge is to manage the Web in an open way-not too much bureaucracy, not subject to political or commercial pressures.”

It is becoming more and more obvious governments (i.e. China and Australia) have become too uneasy of the direction of the web.

This is a wide issue with lots of factors, but with a majority consensus being opposed to it. Large ISPs are all voicing their concerns, and even Andrew Robinson (the leader of the Pirate Party UK) has voiced his views against the bill saying ,

“This is a major attack on free speech and human rights. All the benefits of filesharing have been ignored for the benefit of the record labels. Not only is it free advertising for the artist, but it is good for the cultural wealth of the country. No one is excluded from culture if it’s freely available.”

If you are interested in the digital economy bill’ and the effects it will cause you can find out more here:

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,40057470,00.htm?tag=mncol;txt
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/6614505/Digital-Economy-Bill-crackdown-on-illegal-filesharers-confirmed.html/
http://interactive.bis.gov.uk/digitalbritain/digital-economy-bill/
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2009-10/digitaleconomy.html/
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200910/ldbills/001/10001.i-ii.html/