ISPA reveals heroes and villains of the web

 

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By Matthew Sparkes

Posted on 18 Jun 2009 at 16:09

The body representing UK ISPs has announced its annual Internet Hero and Villain finalists, designed to highlight those who had the biggest influence online - for better and worse.

"In the case of the Hero, ISPA aims to reward those who have really made a positive impact in this sector," says Nicholas Lansman, ISPA secretary general. "As for the Internet Villain, this is a good natured look at the more controversial side of the industry and a definite 'must-do-better'."

One unexpected hero is Lord Carter, author of the much criticised Digital Britain report. Just yesterday ISPA was criticising his recommendation for a Broadband Tax to fund next-generation infrastructure.

"In effect customers and the ISP industry are being penalised for successfully bringing prices down," said the group in a statement.

The winner, and loser, will be chosen by the ISPA Council from a shortlist and announced at an event in London on 9 July .The finalists are as follows:

Internet Hero

- Featured Artists Coalition - "For recognising publicly that the focus of music companies should be the development of new business models for distributing content online rather than attempting to pass responsibility to ISPs to take action against users"

- Community Broadband Network - "For their relentless pursuit and support for next generation access at grass roots level"

- European Parliament - "For rejecting by a significant majority an amendment to the Telecom Package designed to allow disconnection of users' internet connections for alleged copyright infringement without direct judicial oversight"

- Lord Carter - "For his attempt to bring a holistic view to government policy across the communications spectrum"

- Thomas Gensemer - "For showcasing the enormous power of the Internet in leading Barack Obama's online presidential campaign"

Internet Villain

- Baroness Vadera - "For excluding a number of ISPs and Rights Holders in agreeing a Memorandum of Understanding that was exclusive and ineffective in progressing relations between the two industries"

- European Parliament - "For supporting an amendment to the Telecom Package on cookies which could yet bring the Internet to a standstill"

- President Nicolas Sarkozy - "For his continued commitment to the HADOPI law, which advocates a system of graduated response, despite repeated arguments suggesting the law is disproportionate from a number of important groups including the European Parliament"

- Stephen Conroy and the Australian Government - "For continuing to promote network-level blocking despite significant national and international opposition"