UK citizens to have internet service disconnected by record company executives!

[t0p]

I thought I'd share with you all an email I received today.


Have a look at this:
http://38degrees.org.uk/page/s/mandelsonweb

Lord Mandelson is rushing through plans which would give the government the power to cut off the internet connection of anyone that has downloaded copyrighted content over the internet. Over 7 million Britons could be affected.

Industry experts warn these harsh new measures could easily lead to innocent web users being cut off by mistake. Only in June this year the government had ruled out draconian measures like this but now it appears Mandelson has caved in to the wishes of the music and film industry. His change of heart comes just days after a dinner with an industry lobbyist in Corfu.

You can find out more and sign the petition here: http://38degrees.org.uk/page/s/mandelsonweb

[dragos240]

What the heck? That stinks. Will they stop trying to cut the internet already?

[hoppipolla]

>.<

I've always thought Spain looked nice... lol

[sudoer541]

I heard same thing happened in France.
Does anyone know if this starts happening in Canada too?

[dragos240]

Time to learn Spanish ;)

[hansdown]

I heard same thing happened in France.
Does anyone know if this starts happening in Canada too?

Bill C-60 died two federal elections ago.

Could be retabled someday.

http://www.google.ca/search?q=bill+c-60&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=com.ubuntu:en-US:unofficial&client=firefox-a

[sudoer541]

Bill C-60 died two federal elections ago.

Could be retabled someday.

ohh wow thats kinda scary. if this happens I might downgrade my internet speed and just watch youtube videos. that will save me $:)

from wikipedia:


While Bill C-60 does not alter the right to make private copies of copyrighted material, it introduces limitations on the use of these private copies. In particular, the bill would make selling, renting, trading, distributing, and communicating legally-made private copies of a copyrighted work an infringement of copyrights. This implies that if downloads via peer-to-peer are "for personal use, and not redistributed, there will be no infringement.

[t0p]

Brits who don't like the idea of a faceless music industry executive cutting off their internet connection should sign the petition linked in the OP. The current government are very responsive to public pressure just now. Enough signatures might convince Mandelson of his folly.

A lot of people rely on the internet for many everyday services. How are you going to feel when you can't get online to arrange bank transactions, access your google docs, read and send email, view pr0n, troll web forums, share photos of your dog, play poker or online bingo...

[solitaire]

Think this is an old story! well a couple of week old anyway!

Mad Mandelson had already backed away from the automatic cut off plan that the Petition is about.
The big meeting between "Big Record" and FAC threw that out, in favour of a watered down solution of a couple of strong letters, then a 3 strikes and a reduction of rate for heavy offenders.

"NO CUT OFF"

http://www.featuredartistscoalition.com

[hansdown]

Not to worry for now, sudoer541.

[fela]

This is not good. Cutting off people's internet connections if they download illegal files is like killing people for committing crimes, just not as extreme (and no, I don't agree with the death penalty I think it's barbaric).

The internet was meant to be an open place where people can discuss ideas, promote themselves, share data, and generally just do what they like. It was not meant to be censored. It's like cutting someone off from society just because they do something detrimental to one companies profit. Just not good at all.

And then what about people on shared LANs across the street or a couple of streets? Could the whole LAN get disconnected just because one person downloads illegal files? How the heck would they find the culprit?

The whole anti-piracy thing is a total shower. It's ridiculous. They should just give up.

[t0p]

Think this is an old story! well a couple of week old anyway!

Mad Mandelson had already backed away from the automatic cut off plan that the Petition is about.
The big meeting between "Big Record" and FAC threw that out, in favour of a watered down solution of a couple of strong letters, then a 3 strikes and a reduction of rate for heavy offenders.

"NO CUT OFF"

http://www.featuredartistscoalition.com

This certainly is not a dead story. Just 2 days ago (http://www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/broadband-companies-against-cutting-off-pirates-$1330864.htm) UK ISPs Carphone Warehouse and BT were complaining about the government's "unworkable plans". At least we've got the ISPs onside. Charles Dunstone, chief executive of Carphone Warehouse, said that his company would not disconnect customers without a court order.

Unfortunately, Lord Mandelson seems to be a fan of the recording industry. I expect he's made promises to friends like the "Hollywood mogul" David Geffen, with whom he dines (http://www.politics.co.uk/news/culture-media-and-sport/mandelson-s-filesharing-corfu-link-denied-$1321086.htm), and we all know how politicians hate to break promises! :p

Seriously though, this plan isn't going to go away all by itself. All of our boots are required to help kick its *** out the door!

[Mobil1]

...His change of heart comes just days after a dinner with an industry lobbyist in Corfu.

Just sounds like a bribe LOL. I wonder about the logistics more than anything, IP addresses? What about DHCP assigned IPs? Mine changes all the time they'd never catcch me mwah mwah mwah [-o<

[fela]

Just sounds like a bribe LOL. I wonder about the logistics more than anything, IP addresses? What about DHCP assigned IPs? Mine changes all the time they'd never catcch me mwah mwah mwah [-o<

Same here. I'm 24/7 behind a DHCP server that's built into my router. From the outside world our whole network appears as one IP address.

And that router is also behind another DHCP server-router which serves the rest of the 'outer' LAN that goes across two streets in our neighbourhood (the LAN in our house is the 'inner' LAN).

So I have double jerk-police protection :P

(oh yeah of course we're behind a hardware firewall, again possibly two)