Digital Britain: “Sledgehammer to crack a nut”
The Guardian amongst others reports today that proposals put forward by the Government Digital Britain review for a Digital Rights Agency are a “sledgehammer to crack a nut”. Tiscali users appear to agree.
Early results from over 2,400 respondents to our Digital Lifetsyles and Privacy survey show that the UK public rates Digital Literacy & Skills of most importance to the future success of the UK economy and are least concerned about the Elimination of P2P Piracy.
- 72% rate Digital Literacy & Skills as vitally or very important to the future of our economy
- only 32% thought that the Elimination of P2P Piracy was vitally or very important
- 43% said that Elimination of P2P Piracy was hardly or not important at all
- Equal second to Literacy & Skills to respondents of our survey was Broadband in Every Home and Broadband Access for Every Child & Student in the UK
- 70% thought Broadband access for all was vital or very important
- Higher Broadband Speeds (50-100Mb) followed closely with 68% of respondents wanting this
On proposals for a Digital Rights Agency:
- 47% said it was a good idea
- 53% said it was a bad idea or didn’t care
When asked who should fund a Digital Rights Agency?:
- 5% said it should be partly funded by ISPs along with Government and Rights Holders
- 57% said a Digital Rights Agency should be funded by Rights Holders alone
- 24% said it was a stupid idea and no one should fund a Digital Rights agency
Upgrading Broadband infrastucture was seen to be the most important issue for 39% of respondents.
The government’s overweening concern with online piracy and unlawful downloading or uploading demonstrates their floundering in face of determined lobbying by rights holders. there are no votes in it after all! As such, the government proposes a further consultation on proposals to legislate to give Ofcom a duty to reduce copyright infringement by imposing penalties on ISPs and their customers (as outlined in detail in earlier posts). Thius seems fair enough and creates space for a dialogue.
To be fair to Lord Carter and the government, the final report does not contain a demand for a statutory rights agency as rights holders wanted. Instead the report expressed a “hope that an industry body … will come into being to draft these codes [of practice for identifying offenders] for Ofcom to approve and we would encourage all rights holders and ISPs to play a role in this.” Fair enough as a form of words.
Time will tell whether ISPs concerns about being asked to unduly snoop on their users whilst also enabling bandwidth consumption by free content from the BBCs iPlayer and You Tube will be acknowledged by rights holders who seem blind to everything but their concern over rights and licences.
In addition concerns remain that the new 50p a month tax on fixed line Broadband users might be used to fund activities that the free market was supposed to address as mandated when BT was privatised.
A tax on fixed lines is the wrong solution because it penalises existing customers. In addition there is an obvious conflict with the Government’s stated objective of driving broadband take-up. We hope that government will consult and justify the charge while explaining it’s benefits.
Watch this space.
THE DIGITAL BROADBAND TAX
I am puzzled that the goernment boast and the press and other media are so glad to big up a load of rubbish that we the UK will be the digital hub of the world with 2mb broadband. Firstly we dont need to pay the £6 fee to help develop it…the problem is simple as any IT technician will tell the government and so will any economist who is being honest. Too many crooks in this for themselves. See MP scandal.
If the government removed BT from owning the telephone lines and exchanges – took control themself and then lease the lines at a minimal rate to whichever ISP wanted it then the speed at which it could develop will be faster. At the moment BT controls the lines and exchanges = a fact. Unless you are cable you must have a BT line to get ADSL in your home. The ISP make small margin profit as they are now but with BT and all ISP leasing the line at the same price per thousands then the price is equal but as it stand it is BT that is making vast profit from the ISP and the consumer. Worse is that the people who are advising the government are all CEO -executives from BT and all got positions wihtin LAbour or Conservative so how can the UK / consumer benefit. What we have is a system regardles it be any of the political parties that can exploit various corporation and systems for their own personal gain. The proof is the expenses claim as the various political leaders would have done nothing if the matter was not exposed. That is why I say the British public are stupid to keep voting for any of the major political parties as we will be exploited forever and the UK will keep falling deeper down the pits. Stop blaming the EU as anyone with sense who has travelled and examined and worked there will see their system is far more efficeint than ours in the UK. It is not perfect in the EU but we are the laughing stock of the world. WAKE UP BRITAIN AND VOTE FOR THE VARIOUS SMALL PARTIES THEN AND THEN ONLY WILL CHANGE START TO TAKE PLACE.I guess I can expect the media censors and the political correct police to come after me now as we live in a police state..but I am cool.
Comment by Samuel Dunmoodie — June 21, 2009 @ 9:23 am
Why should I pay for someone else to be able to get broadband? I have 8 meg broadband and I am perfectly happy with that speed. This is another stealth tax which will increase over the years.
Comment by ken — June 21, 2009 @ 9:56 am
When analogue TV and Radio are finally switched
off for digital. Isn’t the Government going to
make a stash of cash on selling off the old
frequencies. If that is the case then that
should be used to pay for the extended broadband, and not the tax payer, by increasing phone line
tax.
Comment by Dave Armstrong — June 21, 2009 @ 7:26 pm
What do you suggest I do if I have already sent email to 118800 with mobile numbers I wish to be “ex-directory”?
Answers will be appreciated, please.
It seems that I may have been conned – and yet I am so sensible normally!
Please someone let me know.
Thanks in advance – Bill.
Comment by Bill Webb — August 3, 2009 @ 9:17 pm
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