Role of ISPs

13 August 2012 at 4:55pm

Consultation on European Liability Rules

eCommerce Directive

Intermediary Liability

Another consultation response: this time to a European Commission review of the e-Commerce Directive (2000/31/EC).

6 June 2012 at 9:59am

DEB - Web Blocking Postponed?

Digital Economy Act

The Government has proposed an amendment to the controversial web-blocking proposals recently added to the Digital Economy Bill. Instead of creating the blocking powers immediately, the amendment would give the Secretary of State the power to do so at some future date. This would be done by Statutory Instrument (SI) - a process that permits some Parliamentary scrutiny, but less than a full debate on primary legislation.

6 June 2012 at 9:55am

DEB - New Amendment Demands the Impossible

Digital Economy Act

Even worse news on the Digital Economy Bill, I'm afraid. A successful amendment (amendment 120A) to the Bill last night has given courts the power to order ISPs to block access to any website where a "substantial proportion of the content" infringes copyright.

6 June 2012 at 9:46am

Digital Economy Bill - Second Reading

Digital Economy Act

At the second reading debate of the Digital Economy Bill in the House of Lords last week, general support was expressed for the idea of imposing duties on ISPs to improve the enforcement of online copyright.

6 June 2012 at 9:39am

Copyright Enforcement - Mixed Messages

Digital Economy Act

It has been a busy week for statements about enforcing on-line copyright, though no clear direction has yet emerged.

13 August 2012 at 11:07am

apComms - Regulating the Internet

internet filtering

The all-party parliamentary communications group (apComms) have published the results of their enquiry into various aspects of internet security - entitled "Can we keep our hands off the net?" - to which JANET provided written evidence earlier in the summer.

6 June 2012 at 9:31am

Legislative Options for Illicit Peer-to-Peer Filesharing

Digital Economy Act

Over the summer the government has carried out the latest in a series of consultations on what to do about sharing of copyright files on peer-to-peer networks. Under the current law, sharing copyright files without permission is a civil offence and rights-holders can sue those who do it. However the criminal offence of copyright breach only occurs when copyright is broken either as part of a business (e.g. selling bootleg DVDs) or in sufficient quantity to affect the business of the rights-holder.