February 12th, 2008
Proposed mandatory ISP infringer disconnects makes me glad I don't live in the UK
From the U.K. Times of London come reports that new legislative proposals set to be introduced in the House of Commons next week will call for Internet disconnects for what we would call in the states, “three strikes and you’re out” infringing downloaders of copyrighted films and music.
The teeth of this proposal will be a requirement for ISPs to disconnect these violators.
For those doing such evil deeds, a warning e-mail will come first, followed by a suspension for the next infringement and Internet contract termination for the third violation.
Now here’s the heavy-handed element that I object to.
Broadband Internet providers who fall lax on this enforcement regimen could be prosecuted.
While I am in favor of prosecution for copyright infringers, I don’t think it is any damn business of any government about what type of content is being pushed through an ISP’s pipes.
And I wouldn’t want to live in a nation where the full force of government comes down on the passive distributors of any content. That would include newsstands, bookstores, postal services, libraries and most certainly, ISPs.
Do you?
Russell Shaw is an enterprise computing journalist, analyst and author based in Portland, Oregon. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
