Phone your MP: tell them your vote is at stake

Michael Holloway, 17 November 2009

Next week, plans to disconnect music fans who download music illegally will be introduced by the government, as part of their Digital Economy bill.

This plan won't stop copyright infringement and with a simple accusation could see you and your family disconnected from the internet - unable to engage in everyday activities like shopping and socialising.

Call your MP today on 020 7219 3000 and tell them this simple message - 'if you vote for disconnecting net users, I will vote against your party at the next election'.

We have a few days to show this (and any future) government that they can't mess with the internet - just ask the 600,000 people recently blocked access to their Xbox live accounts. Any of us could easily be next. 'If you vote for disconnecting net users, I will vote against your party at the next election'.

The message is simple - MPs now need to decide how much they need YOUR vote. Please call 020 7219 3000 today and once you have made the call update us here to tell us if your MP cares about keeping your vote.

Harry P

just did it!
Reply #4 on : Tue November 17, 2009, 12:02:14

Well, i didn't get thru to Malkie R, but I just spoke my mind to a researcher of his (perhaps i should have tried harder for the big M). He said i was the first to call, so come on people get phoning!

For other people like me who may have never done this before - it was all a very painless process, it took no time at all, and most importantly it felt good to express myself. Do it!

Matt Moran

Illegal bill!
Reply #3 on : Tue November 17, 2009, 13:53:44

According to a friend who knows a fair bit about the subject: "Articles will have to be amended to reflect EU final text or UK may face ECJ jurisdiction investigation/infraction or even (under Lisbon) domestic court review!" - so as-is, this Bill risks breaking European law. This needs stopping.

Richard

Got Richard Caborn's answering machine
Reply #2 on : Tue November 17, 2009, 14:28:33

I hope I didn't come across as too much of a loony! I asked him to call back and made reference to the letter on the subject I sent him nearly three months ago (he never replied). If I don't get a response I'm considering making an appointment to see him in person. He can't avoid me forever!

David

Some points about the email
Reply #1 on : Thu November 19, 2009, 08:48:13

I wrote a reply about what i feel was a poor choice of wording in the email and i have been asked to post it, so it is posted in full underneath this, please excuse my poor grammer,

Good Afternoon,

I have called my MP and left the advised message, however i feel it is a mistake to refer to what happened to Xbox live users recently. The disconnecting of users was completely legitimate, xbox owners are free to mod and alter their consoles as they wish but the ToS for microsofts closed network (xbox live is not the internet but a closed netork you pay to access) clearly states that modded consoles are not to be used, which is within microsofts rights. By using the xbox disconnections as an example you are hurting the cause not helping it, modded consoles are used purely to play pirate games and by using this as an example you are basically saying that you support copyright infringement and therefore strengthen the arguement against us. Homebrew game writers for the xbox use the excellent dev tools provided by microsoft which do not violate the ToS of xbox live. This is not about a right to infringe on copyrights or to unlawfully copy and distribute intellectual property but about our rights to free speech, net neutrality and much more. Once we allow users to be disconnected using just accusations or ip logs (which are so flimsy it is unreal) people will be removed for more minor infractions. I hope you understand what i am trying to say and i hope that if you don't you will contact me and allow me to explain myself. I am sorry if this sounds overly critical but i support net neutrality and the distribution of open source software / art under the creative commons license and i feel the work you do is very good and dont wish to see your work damaged by ill considered statements.

Regards

David

It isn't the most eloquent but you catch the gist of it. I share a lot of media legally via the internet and it annoys me that when people talk about file sharing they always forget to mention that there are legitimate uses for bittorrent and other sharing mediums which annoys me as they talk of blocking ports and protocols which impedes the legal aspects of sharing as well as the illegal.

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