Liberty versus Mandelson

November 26th, 2009

Liberty versus Mandelson

If I had to pick the one policy idea that I have which is the most controversial and the most non-mainstream it would be my personal take on the copyright laws.  I won’t go into the whole thing here because it would take an essay which made my rant on the EU look short and nobody would thank me for it.  But, in brief, I don’t believe they reflect the reality of the modern world, or that they are fit for purpose.  Clinging to the old-fashioned ideas of intellectual property is as futile as trying to hold onto steam engines as the primary form of locomotion, or to smoke signals as the primary form of communication. 

So what happens is that – under pressure from the media giants – politicians try ever more draconian and authoritarian controls, measures which run the risk of criminalising huge swathes of the population.  They are, quite frankly, idiotic ideas.  The politicians and the media companies will only alienate their constituents and customers.  They will not manage to stop the practices they dislike and they will tar scores of people who are doing nothing wrong with the same brush.  The technological know-how of a few billion computer downloaders will always stay ahead of the clunky, monolithic state which opposes them.

A dramatic rethink is required.  Of course, a dramatic rethink wont happen because there are too many people unimaginitively wed to the old ideas and too much Big Business involvement for that to happen.  But the information revolution cannot be stopped.  It will not be stopped.  But it looks like the Powers That Be will have to find that out the hard way.  It won’t be pretty.

On top of this I take a dim view of attempts to make people guilty until proven innocent.

Suffice to say that I am furiously opposed to Peter Mandelson’s new Digital Economy Bill.  I’ve never liked ‘Mandy’, but this latest wheeze shows him for precisely what he is.  A nasty bully who is entirely happy to sell his soul to Big Media. 

The following YouTube clip makes some excellent points.

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2 Responses to “Liberty versus Mandelson”

  1. Mark Adams on November 26, 2009 9:58 pm

    Yet another issue I find myself agreeing with you on. Oh Lordi! You’re turning me into a Tory! Wink

    Moderator (Steve Tierney)’s Response: Don’t worry Mark – this is FAR from Tory policy. It’s a personal opinion really. Most of my colleagues would violently disagree. To my knowledge, none of the main parties are anything other than entirely supportive of the status quo.

  2. March Supermum on November 26, 2009 10:02 pm

    everybody I know downloads things. who doesnt? the gov cant win this cos where theres a will theres a way.

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