Controlling the web!!

Scoopit!

Wired amongst others reports on the UK Governments move to clamp down on illicit file downloading:-

As part of a policy proposed by the British government that has been agreed to by six of the nation’s largest ISPs, any internet account that is used to share copyrighted material without permission there is subject to surveillance and potential throttling of their account, regardless of whether the person sharing the files is the account holder.

That means that if a child shares music and the ISP’s warnings are ignored, her parents’ surfing habits will be put under surveillance and their connection speed limited, as The Times points out, making large files especially hard to download. The limitations would have harsh ramifications, especially if those parents rely on connectivity to do their jobs.

The article discusses other aspects of the proposals. It points out the inherent dangers of ‘poached’ wi-fi access for example. Plus the possible introduction of a annual download fee?

Adam does not approve of illicit downloading, but at the same time sees this move as part of creeping control and surveillance by authorities of the web. How long before you have to have a licence to access the internet and only to government approved sites?