Liberal Vision

GUEST POST: Here Comes the Digital Economy Bill – there goes the internet

Today is the last day the Lords can table amendments against the Digital Economy Bill. The Open Rights Group are running a writing campaign: click here to join in while there’s still time.

Anyone who likes the internet, or just has a passing fondness for due process and parliamentary oversight, should care about stopping this trainwreck of a bill. Here is a greatest hits compilation of the reasons why:

“tell every Briton you know. If we can’t stop this, it’s beginning of the end for the net in Britain.” – Cory Doctorow

“the Secretary of State may compel any ISP to do anything at any time and for any reason he likes. No awkward laws need to be passed, there need be no tedious debate in Parliament, there need be no uncertain vote to take.” – Devil’s Kitchen.

“people can be cut off from the internet without a trial, without a jury and without proving they committed any offence at all” – Charlotte Gore

“the death of public Wi-Fi, closed as well as open” – Lilian Edwards, professor of internet law

“could give the government the right to spy on UK internet users.” – Google

“expands government control over the internet” – Dominique Lazanski, digital consultant.

“We mustn’t let Mandy do this WRONG thing” – Stephen Fry

“This Bill has some really bad stuff in it that if it gets adopted will affect everybody in the world.” – Don Tapscott, author of “Wikinomics”

More details from the Open Rights Group.

You can also join the Facebook group, Against the Digital Economy Bill.

And sign thepetition HERE.

Marc Sidwell