Illegal downloaders 'face UK ban'

Just noticed the following story on BBC news website.

news.bbc.co.uk...

People in the UK who go online and illegally download music and films may have their internet access cut under plans the government is considering.
A draft consultation Green Paper suggests internet service providers would be required to take action over users who access pirated material.

Under a "three strikes" rule they would receive an e-mail warning, suspension, and then termination of their contract.

Doesn't this mean all internet traffic will have to be monitored? I realise this is at the early planning stages but it just shows how biased the government is to the needs of corporations over its citizens. How can it be called a democracy when clearly the people would vote against this new practice. Another step toward the NWO imo. Orwell rolling in his grave again.

Whats your thoughts on this? Surely if this comes into effect in the future it is a sign that the internet is no longer a place for freedom of speech and more of a control grid. How long before they start banning user created content for being politically incorrect?

So, ISPs will have to intercept 'suspicious packages', then investigate to determine whether it is an illegally acquired file?


I can see it now.. "Little Billy's parents are given back their Internet connection after an investigation concludes video files downloaded, were in truth, clips taken by his friend while at his 9th birthday party."

[edit on 12-2-2008 by Spreadthetruth]

What I find rather ironic about this proposal is that about 3 days after reading about it in the UK papers, I received a leaflet through the door from Virgin Media informing me that my connection would be boosted from 4mb to 10 mb free of charge.
Now, I suppose that isn't too ironic in itself but the wording on the leaflet was. Huge white letters informed me that I would be able to download an mp3 track in 5 seconds and a movie file (around 300mb was their estimated size for a movie) in so many minutes.

I realise that there are sites to download these things legally but it just sorta struck me as being aimed at the pirate crowd with the wording of the leaflet taking on a sort of boasting overtone.
Assuming that the leaflets were sent out to other homes as well (ie. not Virgin Media customers) it would seem as though Virgin are actively courting illegal downloaders and trying to get as many customers, no matter what they download or where from.

Obviously, this is probably standard practice for any internet service provider but it makes you wonder how Virgin would cope if they came under scrutiny from the Government for having so many illegal downloaders as supposed 'loyal' customers.

I think many of the people running the ISPs understand that it is illegal downloading that is the driving force for a vast portion of their customers' patronage, and it would be rather silly for them to support infringement upon net neutrality on this front, in my opinion.

[edit on 12-3-2008 by iceofspades]