Fight the digital economy bill

Have a look at this: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/debate-the-digital-economy-bill

I’ve just written to my MP urging them to stop the Government rushing the Digital Economy Bill through Parliament without a chance for parliamentary scrutiny.

The bill is highly controversial as it gives the Government new powers to disconnect anyone they suspect of copyright infringement. It’s so extreme that internet giants like Google, broadband providers like BT and even the British Library oppose it.

Despite all this opposition the Government is planning to sneak it through Parliament with no chance for opposition to be voiced. Please write to your MP now and urge them to do all the can to stop the Government rushing this draconian bill into law.

Please take action now: Have a look at this: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/debate-the-digital-economy-bill

Personally, I strongly believe that the continued erosion of consumer rights in favour of corporate control will inevitably have a detrimental effect on the digital economy. The idea that every pirated copy of digital media is a lost sale is blatantly ridiculous yet some parts of the creative industries insist on demanding legislation to protect their failing business model.

I’ll blog more about this in the future – one of the things I intend to do is look at some of the figures being quoted for lost sales and comparing those to income levels and other factors affecting the amount of disposable income in the UK. I’m quite convinced that the money said to be lost due to piracy exceeds any rational estimate of that available in the market.