The United Kingdom parliament has passed the Digital Economy Bill, an extensive and controversial piece of legislation, by a vote of 189 to 47. The legislation encompasses online copyright infringement, Internet piracy, regulation of TV and radio, the classification of video games, regulations over ISPs, and a hodgepodge of other digital topics.
The bill, which you can read in its entirety here, is rather complicated and extensive, encompassing over 40 different sections covering online and digital media. Its goal is to clamp down on Internet piracy and illegal file-sharing, although its many critics believe that it is an overreaching piece of legislation. Its potential impact on public Wi-Fi and its harsh penalties for illegal file-sharers have been hotly debated.
The bill passed by a vote of 189 to 47 in a “wash-up” process, which limited the amount of debate MPs took on the bill.
Until the bill is actually utilized in the real world, it’s tough to tell what its impact will be. Protests have already begun on Twitter though, centered around the #Debill hashtag.
Have you been following the Digital Economy Bill? If so, what do you think of it? Let us know in the comments.
Tags: Digital Economy Bill, legislation, parliament, uk, United Kingdom
