Many others have written and created more than I can right now so here’s a collection of the posts that say what I want to say but better:
- Skeptobot: The Digital Economy Bill passed: The internet watched live as a handful of MPs ignored democracy in their attempts to control that which they don’t understand.
- Adam Liversage, Head of the BPI caught bang to rights abusing copyright
- Steve Lawson: My letter to the Musicians Union About the Digital Economy Bill
- Fiona MacTaggart MP: a barnstorming speech
- They Work for the BPI
- A comic sharing my reaction on twitter
- Lets thank the 32 MPs who voted against the bill
- William Heath’s first thoughts on the passing of the bill
- Reading Type: Apathy and ignorance from dying UK Parliament
- BPI Boycott: List of Shame. They also have a list of record companies to boycott and those that are safe if you are that way inclined.
- panGloss: Last night: the DEB passes in the Commons
- The Telegraph / Emma Barnett: Digital Economy Bill: ‘a bad day for democracy’
- The Metro: Digital Economy Bill passes as critics warn of ‘catastrophic disaster’
- Left Foot Forward: Digital Economy Act puts UK on endangered list
- TechCrunch: Doublethink – The Digital Economy Bill against the digital economy
- The Next Web: UK’s Digital Economy Bill approved. Democracy fails, social media wins
- Future Identity: Putting DE Bill in Perspective
- out-law.com: Digital Economy Bill passed by House of Commons
- GeekLawyer: The Digital Enterprise Bill: the next Dangerous Dogs Act
- The Times / Struan Robertson: The legislative farce of the Digital Economy Act
- Comment Is Free / Felix Cohen: Copyright law must be simplified
- Guardian / John Naughton: Shame Peter Mandelson didn’t download some common sense
- Cameron Neylon: A letter to my MP
- Guardian / Dan Sabbagh: Digital Economy Act likely to increase households targeted for piracy
- ComputerworldUK / Glyn Moody: Digital Economy Act: Built on Sand
- Guardian / Cory Doctorow: Digital Economy Act: This means war
I’m sure there will be more as the day goes on.
Finally, comments from me: suffice to say, I am very disappointed with the result and disgusted with Parliament. In particular I’d like to single out Ed Vaisey and his colleague Adam Afriyie for using the debate to score political points and not actually debate the bill. It was an example of the ‘change’ and ‘hope’ the Conservative Party offers. It was repellent. The bill was opposed from all sides of the house and then forced through by a three line whip and a compliant front bench from both the major parties. The stench that has dogged this last parliament just got more foul and does not bode well for the next. We need to seriously examine how our parliament works and how we can improve it. Whipping should be one of the first things we look at.
Huge thanks to all those such as Tom Watson who risked their future by breaking the whip and voted against the bill and actually represented their constituents rather than the interests of large lobbying organisations. It’s hard for MPs to break a three line whip in particular so they should be praised through the roof. Thanks should also go to all of the Liberal Democrats who voted against for whatever reason. The way the ‘game’ is played meant that it looked like they wouldn’t at some points so it was a big relief to see it happen. They have all given us a base that means that…
…the fight continues.
