Anyone who downloads copyrighted music or video from a file-sharing site will shortly be getting a knock on the door from a uniformed chap holding a pair of wire cutters. Soon afterwards their ability to access the interweb will be less than zero. Welcome to the rule of law in Great Britain 2010, Mandelson-style.
According to the BBC’s main headline today the Government is proposing radical changes in the law to cut off internet users who access file-sharing sites. The Minister in charge of the Government’s Digital Britain project has ruled out the 2012 deadline for changes as “too late”. Peter Mandelson is reported in today’s Guardian as having concocted the new policy over dinner with American movie mogul David Geffen while on holiday in Corfu.
The battle will be intense, they say. Or will it?? Media Mentor sniffs an old communications manipulation trick here. Leak early reports of Armageddon, provoke outrage, and when the apocalypse is watered down to mere Major Disruption, there are sighs of relief all round.
It is possibly an unexpected job-creation project in recession-hit Britain.
The new law would be targeted at people who “download from illegal file-sharing sites” At the last count, that includes 16.9 million downloading Watchmen. 13.1 downloading The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, 8.8 million on Slumdog Millionaire…
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