Digital Economy Bill miffs Google

Copyright concerns

Google is joining many others in complaining about the Digital Economy Bill. In particular the lord of the Interweb is worried about Clause 8, which is says "escaped proper scrutiny."

The clause allows the secretary of state for business  to block "a location on the Internet which the court is satisfied has been, is being or is likely to be used for or in connection with an activity that infringes copyright"

Google doesn't like this at all.

“The proposals to introduce website blocking - now included in Clause 8 - have escaped proper scrutiny," is said. "They were introduced 24 hours before a crucial vote in the House of Lords, without a full debate over whether such a policy is right in principle.

“We absolutely believe in the importance of copyright, but blocking through injunction creates a high risk that legal content gets mistakenly blocked, or that people abuse the system,” it wailed.