By silicon.com, 7 September 2009 09:36
NEWS
Opposition to government proposals to disconnect suspected illegal file-sharers from the internet is making itself felt.
Representatives from the UK's largest ISPs have signed a letter protesting against Whitehall's plans. The letter, sent to The Times, was also signed by the Open Rights Group, consumer groups Which? and Consumer Focus.
(Photo credit: mutednarayan via Flickr.com under the following Creative Commons licence)
ZDNet UK has more on the open letter protest here.
Comments
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1. Charles Smith
If the ISP's are forced down this route thay should highlight the cost marked on their invoices as an additional government tax.
All too often unelected Government officials introduce regulations with little thought of the real public cost or efficacy of such measures.
I include an addendum to my company invoices showing what proportion of the fee relates to direct and stealth taxes.
2. Richard Davies
Its totally unworkable rubbish. Any illegal downloaders will simply use newer techniques to stay ahead of the game and ALL of us will get hit with this cost / tax.
The Music industry are trying to get someone else to deal with their problem.
Pirated music must be leaked from record companies etc. in the first place.
Also, its not technologies fault, yet P2P is being largely blamed. Its wierd that other technologies / mediums such as CD aren't an issue even though you can easily copy music this way!
Why don't Music companies apply their own solution at their own cost at the source...I think they won't because it would make them unpopular with the new digitial generation! They would rather someone else be unpopular and take the hit on cost even though its no one elses problem but their own.
I also think that I could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the proposed changes etc. are a complete waste of time and money...maybe someone should take me up on this offer!
3. Mark Hosey
Dinna fash yer sel! It's not workable!
A vision of order dreamed up by one or more technological ignoramus's!
The value of recorded entertainment is falling by virtue of supply and demand.
Capitalism hoist on its own petard!
You want to make money and be big and famous? Work for it with live performances.
Lets all take this oppertunity to say "good bye" to the middle men of recorded entertainment. The only business model left to them is to sell it cheap enough to off set the hassle of down loading from a file sharing site.
4. drew stephenson
the people consuming the product don't want it, a large number of the people producing the product don't want it, it's only the middle man who stands to gain.
In any other industry this kind of business model would have died long ago.
The changes are required from the entertainment industry not the ISPs