Digital Economy Bill to tackle broadband piracy

According to recent reports the Digital Economy Bill, which is to be published this week, will be tackling a number of issues including broadband piracy.

Broadband piracy has been at the forefront of broadband related news for some time now, with the government, consumers, Internet service providers, and entertainment industry officials all voicing their opinions with regards to how the issue of illegal downloading should be tackled. It has now been announced in recent reports that broadband piracy will be one of the issues that will be addressed in the Digital Economy Bill, which is to be released this week.

Other issues will also be addressed in the Digital Economy Bill, and this will include increased stringency over the types of video games that children will be able to get hold of, a switchover to digital radio by 2015, and power for Ofcom with regards to the regional news on ITV. The Bill was announced in the Queen’s speech earlier this week.

The Queen herself commented on the Bill, and she stated: My government will introduce a bill to ensure communications infrastructure that is fit for the digital age, supports future economic growth, delivers competitive communications and enhances public service broadcasting.”

Some of the inititaives that were proposed in the Digital Britain Report were not included in the Digital Economy Bill, and this was because new tax measures would need to be introduced. Officials have said that the most major issue that has been included in the Bill is the matter over online piracy, which would see persistent offenders receive a series of warning letters before being disconnected by their Internet service provider.

Source – Guardian