U.K. corrupt, Weasel pols pass digital economy bill

I've always thought the U.S. government was corrupt, and largely run by corporations, and it is. But The States has NOTHING on the U.K. Here in the U.S., corporations bought and paid for the DMCA, an odious addition to copyright law. Not to be outdone, the UK House of commons has past the Digital Economy Bill, a Bastard child of Lord Peter Mandelson, whom no one elected and many would like to see the last of.
Some of the more rancid provisions of this bill are:

• Outlaws openwifi
  
  
• Three strikes provision
  This section states that if it is suspected that you, or anyone else using your internet connection, has downloaded or made available copyrighted material, the copyright owner can require your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to contact you and report back to the rights-owner.
  It also empowers the Secretary of State to force ISPs to limit – either by slowing down a user’s connection or restricting what they can access – or completely disconnect a user’s internet access.
  
  
• Clause 8
  government blocking of web sites
  Earlier the government removed its proposed clause 18, which could have given it sweeping powers to block sites, but replaced it with an amendment to clause 8 of the bill. The new clause allows the secretary of state for business to order the blocking of "a location on the internet which the court is satisfied has been, is being or is likely to be used for or in connection with an activity that infringes copyright".

The Brits seem to LoOOOoOOooOve big government. Nary a protest is to be heard about the 1984-esq proliferation of cameras everywhere the eye can see. In England, big brother IS watching you. Now if the copyright Nazis don't like what you are doing, whack, no more internet. If they don't like your web site, Abra Cadabra, it's blocked!! Have ya had enough Brits? Because if you keep on bending over and taking it in the ass from government with a smile, government will be happy to keep giving you more of the same.

Originally posted on 07 Apr 2010 by Monkey