News19,135 Articles

November 10, 2009

TalkTalk applauds new EU legislation

Amendment to law will protect web users

Carrie-Ann Skinner

UK ISP TalkTalk has applauded an EU agreement which could disconnect illegal downloaders from the web, saying the legislation "puts into legal language what fair-minded people instinctively knew was right and just".

The UK government has proposed anti-piracy measures that will see web users accused of illegally downloading sent two warning letters, with repeat offenders being cut-off from the web by their ISP.

While Lord Mandelson said "technical measures will be a last resort" and those facing suspension would be offered a "proper route of appeal", the measures have come in for heavy criticism in particular for its ‘guilty until proven innocent' stance.

However, Under the New Telecoms Reform Package, which was agreed by the EU last week, web users accused of illegally downloading are put through a "fair and impartial procedure" before being disconnected.

"The recently agreed wording is clear. Rights holders cannot act as judge and jury in these matters," said Scott Fairbairn, a specialist in telecoms and intellectual property law at CMS Cameron McKenna.

"They cannot simply instruct ISPs to disconnect their customers or restrict their internet connections. In no way can that be considered to be a 'fair and impartial' procedure".

The ISP, which is behind the Don't Disconnect Us campaign aimed at persuading the government not to disconnect web users without a fair trial, believes that establishing whether an accused illegal downloader broke the law can only happen via an impartial legal process that starts with a presumption of innocence.

"The need for a fair process is critical because the evidence that rights holders use can only identify the broadband connection not the individual file sharer. This means that millions of account holders are at risk of being wrongly punished due, for instance, to unauthorised Wi-Fi hijackers using their connections," he said.

Heaney called for the government to "respect the spirit of what is intended and to drop its draconian plans to disconnect users without a proper judicial process".

Broadband speed test

PC security advice

See also: 66% of Brits claim Spotify stops them illegally downloading

Free whitepaper: Phishing for victims - Truth, myth and cybercrime

<<newer story | back to index | older story>>

What is this?

Subscribe to PC Advisor now and claim your FREE gift

Keep up to date by adding PC Advisor News to your iGoogle home page or Google Reader


Question of the day!

Does your smartphone replace your need for a laptop when on the move?

Question of the day!

Does your smartphone replace your need for a laptop when on the move?

% of PC Advisor readers agree with you

Yes
TBC
No
TBC

What tasks can your smartphone do that would have traditionally been done on a laptop?

119 characters remaining

Follow the conversation at @SmartphoneFocus

web browsing, search facilities, voip, email, word processing everything RT @Graham_D_C

Mainly email but getting better at spreadsheets etc, RT @IDGdan

Google


Recent reviews

Reviews index


Latest reader comments

Latest reader comments


Top news

News index


Latest blog entries

Blogs index


 Our RSS feeds

Sponsored Content

  • Take the internet to new places with the Nokia N800
    Communicate how you want to, where you want to with instant messaging, email and internet calling. View movies, browse the internet wirelessly and watch TV on the high-resolution screen and listen through high-quality stereo speakers with headphone jack.
    Buy now