Government won't disconnect file-sharers

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 23 Feb 2010 at 08:44

The Government has ruled out permanently disconnecting people from the internet as a punishment for illegal file-sharing.

The position was spelled out in response to a petition on the Number 10 website requesting that Gordon Brown "abandon Lord Mandelson's plans to ban individuals from the internet based on their use of 'peer-to-peer' file sharing".

While much of the statement defends the measures laid out in the Digital Economy Bill, the Government said "we will not terminate the accounts of infringers – it is very hard to see how this could be deemed proportionate except in the most extreme – and therefore probably criminal – cases."

"The increasing role of the internet in access to society should not be underestimated. Cutting off households deprives families of education, government services and freedom of speech."

The statement also clears up what the bill means by taking "technical measures" against persistent file-sharers. "Technical measures might be a bandwidth restriction, a daily downloading limit or, as a last resort, temporary account suspension. A proper independent appeal would be available against application of technical measures."

The response comes on the back of a statement from The Joint Committee on Human Rights, which claimed the Government's proposals to cut-off illegal file-sharers could breach internet users' human rights.