Digital Economy Bill enters House of Commons for its second, and probably final reading, today without the full debate and scrutiny as many had hoped for being that it could spell the end of public access Wi-Fi, force legitimate websites to close, and disconnect innocent Broadband users from the Internet.
Today is an important day in the UK as the House of Commons prepares for a second, and presumably, final reading of the Digital Economy Bill (DEB) at around 1530BST.
The DEB, as currently written, includes website filtering, a ban on open Wi-Fi, and a “three-strikes” regime that would disconnect accused file-sharers from the Internet.
Critics, like the Open Rights Group, have rightly questioned the speed of the process, demanding greater scrutiny and debate of a bill with such dramatic consequences for society.
Writes the group’s Jim Killock:
As MPs eat their cornflakes, they will be asked if they are prepared to go against the wishes of thousands of voters, and pass this Bill without full debate and scrutiny.
The Bill grants powers for website blocking and disconnection of citizens for copyright infringement, which need scrutiny.
Disconnection is inappropriate and draconian. People use the internet for work, education and free speech. You cannot take that away without a very serious reason. Copyright infringement allegations are not on that scale.
The Bill needs to be fully debated and scrutinised. MPs and Parliament have duties and rights. What a way to begin an election, ramming through draconian legislation without full debate.
Part of the problem is the fact that the bill is being pushed through in the so called “wash-up” period, the period between after the prime minister asks the Queen to dissolve Parliament (done this morning) and before a general election. During this time any outstanding bills are quickly vetted and voted through Parliament usually in the last 48 or 72 hours before its dissolution.
A bill normally begins life in the House of Commons, moves on to the Lords and back to the HOC for a final vote, being subjected to scrutiny by a committee at each stage of the process and with time for expert input to be provided. This process can take a long time, sometimes up to a year.
To speed up the process with the DEB it began its life in the House of Lords. There it had but two readings before being rushed through to the House of Commons. Some bills get up to 8 reading in the HOL, proving just how quickly the DEB is being pushed through.
The Government, for its part, does plan to amend the website filtering provision to assuage the “legal and other concerns to which the clause gives rise” after today’s second reading.
Among the changes: courts will now have to consider the effect on legitimate uses and users of sites before granting a blocking injunction, and ISPs will not be expected to pay court costs to “ensure that there is no incentive on ISPs to block a site until or unless they have a court order requiring them to do so.”
Lest we forget, that amendment was found to have to been taken verbatim from a British Phonographic Industry (BPI) letter asking the govt for specific revisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Moreover, it’s a sad state of affairs when private business concerns are placed above the public good. As the Open Rights Group asks, “MPs: Please do your job.”
Stay tuned.
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- Coble needs to rethink digital vigilante bill (editorial)
- UK Liberal Dems Vow to “Repeal” Parts of Digital Economy Act
- UK ISPs Win Judicial Review of Digital Economy Act
- UK MP: Sections of the Digital Economy Act are “Deeply Worrying”
