Protesters demand further debate on the controversial Digital Economy Bill

The Digital Economy Bill needs to be debated thoroughly before it is passed into law, the protesters of the bill have demanded in an advert in the Guardian and the Times.

The Open Rights Group (ORG) and campaigners for digital freedom accuse the government of ‘trying to pass the bill into law without a proper debate through ‘wash-up’ session before the election’.

The bill in the current form contains a few controversial measures that can threaten the fundamental right to access internet as well as the free, open wi-fi internet environment in the UK, it has claimed.

The internet disconnection policy will affect millions of homes, schools and libraries and can threaten the open way to access wireless internet through the public wi-fi hotspts, the advert warns.

The ISPs like TalkTalk also oppose disconnection saying the measure can threaten to cut off the innocent users or make them pay heavy fines when their connections are shared or hacked by internet pirates without their knowledge.

The clauses 11 to 18 of the bill which allow the regulator, Ofcom to take tough measures against the copy-right infringers such as banning the relevant websites (including Youtube and Google) and disconnecting the hardcore illegal downloaders off the internet should be dropped, according to Jim Killock, the Executive Director of the ORG.

Meanwhile, a separate advert appeared in the Guardian on behalf of the Creative Coalition Campaign (CCC), the organisation of creative industries which supports the bill and government’s measures to crack down on illegal filesharers, asking the public to support the bill.

The bill which goes for second reading in the House of Commons today, is likely to include a new amendment which would ask the regulator to consult and get the approval from the industry before blocking any websites.