Mandelson Brings In New Internet Law – Internet Doomed

So basically this has happened.

A short summary of which means, anyone who upsets the entertainment industry in any way will be in for bad times.

1. The ‘three strikes’ rule – anyone caught file sharing will get 3 warnings and then be cut off. Without proof, evidence or trial.
2. Anyone caught in your house filesharing will be subject to  up to £50k fines and the whole house will be cut off. Collective punishments – Really wrong.
3. ISP’s will have a duty to spy on customers and if they refuse they can be fined £250k
4. But scariest of all – Mandelson, an UNELECTED business secretary, will have the power to make up as many new penalties and enforcement systems as he wants! He is going to appoint private militias fincanced by rightsholders groups who will kick you off the net and spy on you. Mandelson even has the power to invent any penalty and can even jail someone for any wrong doing he wants.

So is it time we started wearing tin foil hats and cancel all our internet contracts? From now on it seems the only way to be safe on the internet from Dictator Lord Mandelson is to steal WiFi, access 3g through pay as you go phones and revert to the old fashioned internet cafes!

You might say well its simple dont break the law by downloading and you will be fine and fair enough but its the fact that if anyone in your house is caught YOU ALL get punished collectively, which in basic terms is very very wrong. And on a basic democratic level Mandelson has given himself far too much power and being innocent until proven guilty or even needing evidence to prosecute no longer matters. He has all the power.

Related posts:

1. Legal Advice In The Internet Age
2. Pirates Will Be Disconnected