Major internet players stand strong against (Mandy’s) Clause 17 of the Digital Economy Bill
I wrote last week about the horrible effect of Mandy’s inclusion of a clause giving Alan Johnson and all future Secretaries of State unprecedented and sweeping powers to amend copyright law as they (and not any democratically-elected body of representatives) saw fit.
Now comes the news that protest has spread from idiots on their blogs (bows), via broader groups like the Open Rights Group and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, to the major players in the digital economy: Google, Facebook, eBay and Yahoo.
This can only be good news and I doubt anybody involved in pushing Mandy’s clause forwards expected such a quick and concerted slap in the face from established players in the UK’s digital economy. Whether fledgling businesses speak up for or against the Clause still remains to be seen; and I somehow doubt that the House of Lords would stand for the Clause either.
In that case, what on Earth was Mandy thinking he’d achieve by adding Clause 17 remains a mystery. Could it really be so sad and semi-sinister as a move to please a Corfu yachtsman? I don’t mean to imply greedy conspiracy on Geffen’s part; he has openly pledged to pass any money he makes from now on direct to charity. Or perhaps Murdoch is the likelier target of such posturing. Murdoch’s been badgering the great, the good and the puny for years now for stricter (or in his perspective – more generous) scope for extension and enforcement of copyright; here he is at it recently, hinting he’ll sue the BBC…
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