Lee Griffith has a great post at Liberal Conspiracy on the Digital Economy Bill. While well worth the read for the what-if scenareo alone, it’s also got some solid tips on what to include when you write your MP about this disasterous policy shift toward totalitarianism.

Imagine a world in which you’re home repairs could land you in court because it was robbing handy workers of their right to redo your kitchen, or one in which Top Shop could sue you for making your own jumper. The Digital Economy Bill assumes criminality of anyone who is online and leaves it up to them to prove their innocence.

From Lee:

For those that are writing to your MPs, specifically point them to the areas of the bill that are problematic (and do so in your own words, it has more impact!):

1. If you dislike the idea of OFCOM becoming a UK internet regulation body of any “editorially controlled” content “service” – see Clause 1
2. If you dislike vague law that would allow unscrupulous ministers to restrict your internet access without warning after ZERO warnings, if they so chose – see Clause 6
3. If you dislike the idea of being cut off from your internet because someone in your house/university/workplace allegedly broke the law – see Clauses 10 and 11.
4. If you a) Don’t want the BPI to draft law for us or b) don’t want websites blocked by ISPs because the ISPs are blackmailed with threats of legal costs if they don’t block access to the site – see Clause 18
5. If you don’t want the government to have the power to take ownership of uk domain names on a vague concept of “fairness” – see Clause 19
6. If you dislike leaving the door open to require online games to be regulated – see Clause 41
7. If you’re concerned about new law being made (re: Orphan Works) that is weakened by old law not being enforced – see Clause 43

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