Communication Breakdown
Communications from the world of, er, communications. And other stuff.
Tuesday 25 August 2009, 5:16 PM
Even the BSA attacking Mandy over P2P crackdown
Peter Mandelson's proposals for cutting off file-sharers have kicked up an almighty ruckus. Technical and legal experts, as well and ISPs and the Open Rights Group, are lining up to give the business/first secretary a drubbing.
No surprise there. But now the Business Software Alliance — who, shall we say, are not exactly likely voters for the UK's Pirate Party — have come out against Mandy. Here's policy chief Francisco Mingorance:
While filtering technologies may play a useful role in helping to address P2P piracy, it is not a 'silver bullet' solution, and BSA cautions the UK Government against technical mandates on the use of filtering or filtering technologies which could impede innovation. Moreover, BSA strongly believes that the element of due process by judicial or administrative review must be preserved in imposing sanctions for internet piracy. It is simply not reasonable to 'lock down' the Internet and automatically sanction alleged copyright infringers without due process.
BSA urges policy makers not to push hastily for legislation which would have unintended consequences. The current voluntary, industry-led approach to developing technologies to address online content piracy continues to be effective and mandated use of any such technologies is not justifiable.
How about that, then?
Oh, speaking of the Pirate Party, here's what they had to say today:
Today, the Government has moved the goalposts for the consultation. They have finally admitted that, as we suspected, their plans do include cutting off internet access for whole families if one member of that family shares files, in stark contrast to Gordon Brown's recently stated aim of "universal connectivity to broadband"....
Yet again the Government have done exactly what the big media cartel have told them. There is still no hint of a real discussion on the rights and wrongs of file sharing, or that the strong arguments in favour of legalisation will be given fair consideration.
Anyone else?
No surprise there. But now the Business Software Alliance — who, shall we say, are not exactly likely voters for the UK's Pirate Party — have come out against Mandy. Here's policy chief Francisco Mingorance:
While filtering technologies may play a useful role in helping to address P2P piracy, it is not a 'silver bullet' solution, and BSA cautions the UK Government against technical mandates on the use of filtering or filtering technologies which could impede innovation. Moreover, BSA strongly believes that the element of due process by judicial or administrative review must be preserved in imposing sanctions for internet piracy. It is simply not reasonable to 'lock down' the Internet and automatically sanction alleged copyright infringers without due process.
BSA urges policy makers not to push hastily for legislation which would have unintended consequences. The current voluntary, industry-led approach to developing technologies to address online content piracy continues to be effective and mandated use of any such technologies is not justifiable.
How about that, then?
Oh, speaking of the Pirate Party, here's what they had to say today:
Today, the Government has moved the goalposts for the consultation. They have finally admitted that, as we suspected, their plans do include cutting off internet access for whole families if one member of that family shares files, in stark contrast to Gordon Brown's recently stated aim of "universal connectivity to broadband"....
Yet again the Government have done exactly what the big media cartel have told them. There is still no hint of a real discussion on the rights and wrongs of file sharing, or that the strong arguments in favour of legalisation will be given fair consideration.
Anyone else?
PreviousComments on this post
This comment has been deleted at the users request
