70% reject Government plans to cut internet connections
A new YouGov poll commissioned by the Open Rights Group provides a response to Government proposals to force ISPs to disconnect suspected illegal downloaders. Nearly 70% of those surveyed said someone suspected of illegal downloading should have a right to a trial in court before any restrictions on internet use were imposed.
Sion Simon, the minister for the internet, insists that disconnection is a last resort. The growing backlash from internet users, camnpaign groups and now an all-party Parliamentary motion urging a rethink of the policy. Barely 16% of respondents to the YouGov survey supported automatic curbs based on accusations by copyright holders such as musicians.
The core complains from ISPs is that the proposals require them to bear the costs of protecting a third party’s rights, namely the rights of the copyright holder. In a context where illegal filesharers can avoid detection by encrypting traffic, or by hijacking someone else’s IP address or Wi-Fi network you can imagine the nighmare involved in policing the proposals.
In other results from the survey, 73% of respondents said they would find their ability to use vital commercial services, such as shopping and banking, completely disrupted or fairly harmed if they were disconnected.
Last week’s inquiry into the issue of file sharing by the all-party Parliamentary communications group concluded:
“much of the problem with illegal sharing of copyrighted material has been caused by the rightsholders, and the music industry in particular, being far too slow in getting their act together and making popular legal alternatives available . . . . We do not believe that disconnecting end users is in the slightest bit consistent with policies that attempt to promote eGovernment, and we recommend that this approach to dealing with illegal filesharing should not be further considered.”
Ministers continue to stress that requiring Ofcom to demand ISPs take technical measures against people who repeatedly ignore the law, such as capping broadband speed or filesize, is a last resort.
