[Freedombox-discuss] Forecast.

[Heddle Weaver]

Just thought I'd drop a couple of things off because I'm involved with this
sort of thing, it's germane to list activity and because we can become so
involved with some aspects while completely oblivious to others:

Leaked web censorship plans

Yesterday, new plans for website censorship were leaked to digital rights
campaigner James Firth. Yet again the leaked plans were written by copyright
lobby groups, and had been presented to Culture Minister Ed Vaizey marked
“confidential”.

The public weren’t meant to see these censorship plans. Copyright lobbyists
want the minister to agree to “industry self-regulation”, where “experts”
appointed by film, record and TV executives would decide what Internet sites
would be banned in the UK.

With a fig leaf of judicial oversight, these sites would be banned without
any hope of a trial or meaningful court procedure. Ask your MP to prevent
these dangerous
plans.<http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=58283&ea.campaigner.email=OX0FQUqOvZ%2BNDR2DBHSDPMM4tgVsPUiAanIkY7du0EE=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0>

Last month, a report from the *United Nations stated plainly that such
website bans would risk severe impacts on our freedom of expression* unless
strictly controlled and approved by courts.

The same report condemned the UK for its plans to disconnect users for
downloading copyright material. The author, Frank La Rue, said he was
“alarmed” by the UK's Digital Economy Act and said we should repeal it as an
infringement of our free expression.
Please tell your MP about these illegal
plans<http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=58284&ea.campaigner.email=OX0FQUqOvZ%2BNDR2DBHSDPMM4tgVsPUiAanIkY7du0EE=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0>

Please write to your
MP<http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=58285&ea.campaigner.email=OX0FQUqOvZ%2BNDR2DBHSDPMM4tgVsPUiAanIkY7du0EE=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0>to
let them know that the UK is heading towards Internet censorship and
breaches of fundamental rights. Let them know that plans are being drafted
by entertainment lobbyists, who are trying to hide them from the public. Our
free speech is in danger.

Thank you

Jim Killock, Executive Director

*Please help us keep campaigning: join us now and get a free
book!<http://www.openrightsgroup.org/join>
*


-- 

Religion is regarded by the common people as true,
by the wise as false,
and by the rulers as useful.

— Lucius Annæus Seneca.

Terrorism, the new religion.
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