UK government to rethink Digital Economy Act’s web blocks

The UK government has announced that it is to look again at plans to block websites that infringe copyright.The controversial measures formed part of its crackdown on net pirates, outlined in the Digital Economy Act (DEA).The decision to review it follows a raft of complaints about the workablility of the legislation.Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has now asked Ofcom to consider the viability of blocking certain websites.To read this BBC News report in full, see:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12334075Also see:Ofcom to review Digital Economy Act
Ofcom is to review the practicalities of the controversial Digital Economy Act, which was rushed through parliament by the last government to deal with piracy and copyright infringement.Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has asked Ofcom to consider how powers designed to block websites used for copyright infringement could actually work.
uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/01/uk-britain-digital-idUKTRE71041O20110201Ofcom to review site-blocking in Digital Economy Act
The government has asked Ofcom to review proposals in the Digital Economy Act that aim to combat piracy by having ISPs block access to websites used for copyright infringement.The review will focus on whether such ISP-level blocks are technically viable, and how easy they would be to circumvent, culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Tuesday.
www.zdnet.co.uk/news/regulation/2011/02/01/ofcom-to-review-site-blocking-in-digital-economy-act-40091634/