3 Strikes — Denying Physics Won't Save the Video Stars

Philip K D writes "Award-winning SF author and BoingBoing co-editor Cory Doctorow has an editorial in today's Times of London. Doctorow elegantly eviscerates the basic injustice posed by the imminent Mandelson '3 Strikes' law in Britain. He makes the explicit observation: 'The internet is an integral part of our children's education; it's critical to our employment; it's how we stay in touch with distant relatives. It's how we engage with government. It's the single wire that delivers freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly. It isn't just a conduit for getting a few naughty free movies, it is the circulatory system of the information age.' It is worth noting that Doctorow was influential in the creation of the Creative Commons. He has enjoyed considerable commercial success for his writings, owing in no small part on his insistence that his work be made available for unrestricted electronic distribution and copying." In related news, the UK's second-largest ISP, TalkTalk, is now threatening legal action if Mandelson's plan goes through.

Comments

The Real Reason Doctorow Opposes This

[brit74]

I just think it's funny to see Doctorow try to create reasons to oppose this law. The number one reason Doctorow opposes this law is that he's a piracy advocate. He's fighting for the legalization of filesharing. This is all very well documented. Of course, he can't actually come out and say that. What's he going to say, "I oppose this anti-piracy legislation because it will cut-down on piracy"? In fact, in a recent poll of internet users, a majority of pirates admitted that the threat of cutting off their internet access would reduce their willingness to pirate. So, he has to resort to talking about secondary reasons to oppose this legislation.

Re:Mu yourself

[Interoperable]

What the hell are you talking about?

I was responding directly to the parent's assertion that the higher parent "presupposes that people accused of something are automatically guilty of it."

Isn't it *distribution* of copyrighted material that is illegal?

Depends on the country that you live in. That's true in Canada, for example, not the U.S.

Now if you're trying to say that "everyone" is guilty of UPloading (c)ed content. Assertion disproved.

In fact, my statement only requires one such case to be valid.

Now shoo, the big people want to talk.

Flamebait.

In my amateur opinion...

[thePowerOfGrayskull]

Cory Doctorow makes a decent living by restating the obvious.

Re:Mu.

[lbalbalba]

Just for the record, you're a troll

And my vote for this weeks Slashdot poll goes to:
" If I Had To Choose, I'd Be A ... "
- My Family ^H^H^H^H^H^H The Slashdot crowd Already Thinks I'm A Troll