UK to announce website blocking proposals "imminently"

By Zack Whittaker

ZD Net.com 9 February 2012

Mark Prisk MP, the business minister, said that an announcement would be "imminent". No details
were given, but he did say that the proposals would be "welcome"; to whom, exactly, is unclear. It's
likely that the industry will benefit, while the general public get very little say in the matter, and
technology giants such as Google will face complying with the law or face fines.

Internet analyst Dr. Monica Horten transcribed Prisk's words:
"We need an IP system that helps business and consumers to realise all the
opportunities presented, which is why we are actively supporting the UK's
creators and the creative industries and why, to benefit creators, we voted in Europe
to extend the term of protection for sound recordings from 50 to 70 years — a really
important step for originators of music and other sound recordings. It is also why
[...] we pressed to introduce measures to tackle online infringement of
copyright through the Digital Economy Act 2010."
"We are closely considering the issue around the blocking access, whether
to block access to websites that infringe copyright. We will have something to
say about that shortly, but, as I would like to continue to have a positive working
relationship with my ministerial colleagues in the Department for Culture, Media and
Sport, I shall not pre-empt what they are about to say. An announcement is
imminent, and I think that it will be welcomed."

This was an Iptegrity original story. See it here: UK Minister says website blocking proposals "imminent"

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