Showing that the LibDems in the UK are now the lapdogs of major industry, they have proposed an amendment allowing copyright owners to force ISPs to take content offline without any proof that the copyright belongs to them.
“During today's debate in the UK's House of Lords on the much-criticized Digital Economy Bill the unpopular Clause 17 (that would have allowed the government to alter copyright law much more easily than it currently can) was voted out in favor of a DMCA-style take-down system for websites and ISPs. The new amendment known as 120A sets up a system whereby a copyright owner could force an ISP to block certain websites who allegedly host or link to infringing material or face being taken before the High Court and made to pay the copyright owner's legal fees. This amendment was tabled by the Liberal Democrat party who had so far been seen as the defenders of the internet and with the Conservative party supporting them. The UK's Pirate Party and Open Rights Group have both strongly criticized this new amendment.”
via Slashdot Your Rights Online Story | DMCA Amendment Proposed For UK.
Robin Edgar
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