UK govt proposes cutting Web access to file sharers [Reuters]
Peer-to-peer enthusiasts in Britain that share illegally copied content may have their connection to the Internet cut off under a new proposal the government in that country has put forward. The government appears to be taking a strong stand against content piracy, proposing a number of measures targeting Internet pirates that include blocking access to downloads, slowing down broadband speeds and temporarily shutting down the pirates' Internet connection. These measures are proposed to be implemented on specific individuals that are habitually trading in illegally copied materials via their Internet connection.
Earlier this year, the French government proposed some similar sanctions against pirates in that country, but that proposal has yet to receive a vote.
Obviously, cutting off users' Internet connection is a highly polarizing proposal. The articles I've seen regarding the British government's proposal don't specify the level of repetitive piracy that would trigger a shut down nor do they indicate how long the "temporary" shut down might last. Content creators and distributors are seeking protection from widespread Internet piracy, and it's important that they have the flexibility to reliably enforce their copyrights, but there are legitimate questions about how far this proposal goes. Maybe some prison time for grand larceny might be a real deterrent. After all, it is stealing when you take something owned by someone else and don't pay for it.
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