anyone else hear about this...

[webbo3]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-113130 4/Every-household-pay-20-internet-piracy-tax-G overnment-announces-broadband-plan.html


was'nt this the goverment that wanted every household to have broadband/internet access, now we can see why.
if only the british pay this tax for downloading, the rest of the world can carry on regardless.
i can also hook up to any unsecure network and use that for free....
any thoughts?

Dave.

[Ethel]

You can be prosecuted for hooking up to unsecure networks, and if you are doing it with permission, the person allowing it is in breach of their term and conditions and could end up with no broadband,

I really do not have a problem with expecting people to pay for services they use - and I firmly believe that copyright holders should get their fee.

Would you work for nothing?

[Booldawg]

This sentence pretty much says it all;

'The sector contributes �50billion to the UK, and the Government believes it will be the backbone of the nation's economy in the years to come.'

So its basically another form of taxation and state control.

[Whickerman]

it's been mooted that on the Isle of Man that everyone would pay a fee (I believe somewhere in the region of �100 per year) and basically be free to download as they wish
http://www.broadband-expert.co.uk/blog/broadba nd-news/a-compulsory-licence-fee-may-provide-i sle-of-man-with-free-music/77891

Now THAT'S thinking outside the box. �2 a week to licence whatever music and films you can manage. I'd happily pay that,
But to pay a tax to cover others' illegal shenanigans? Nope.

[sandmaster]

I agree with Ethel that copyright holders deserve to be paid. BUT - once again it is proposed that the public is robbed instead. Having to pay a tax because others pirate material on the internet, whilst I do not, is not my idea of justice.
Once again I feel the pickpocket in Downing Street heading for my wallet.
The entertainment industry has exploited the UK market for too long anyway. Charging us more for products than most other countries. Zoning DVDs was one such attempt to make the Brits pay more than the Americans.

[rov1200]

I don't see why I should pay for others piracy. If the current deterrants don't work give them a jail sentence.

Most regular users of the internet get more than 2 Mb speed already. There should be 2 groups. Those that live in towns should get up to 50 Mb and those in the country get a more inferior service. Its too expensive to put fibre optics everywhere.

[anotheoldgit]

Seems to me to be just another tax, and don't think that it will remain at the initial �20. Just as the TV licence it seems that one will not have the choice, to pay or not to pay.

Regarding file sharing, why should one not have the choice if one wants to share the CD or DVD that they have paid for with whoever they like.

Would one think twice about loaning a CD or DVD to their family or friends, or does one think we should pay for this privilege also?

[LeMarchand]

Sounds like the media companies want to have their cake and eat it: they get all the law-abiding customers downloading/viewing monetised content, and get a tax from them as well to cover anyone who might be illegally viewing.

Plus, IIRC, it's the tax payer who is funding the infrastructure to make their business viable!

[daffy654]

rov1200,I don't understand your reasoning for countryside dwellers getting an inferior service,we actually need a better service as we are not able to access the services (shops/businesse) that town and city dweller can as easily.

[rov1200]

Its all down to cost. Should you be subsidised at the expense of the townies.

[Hugh Spencer]

It all sounds so far-seeing, making this country the vanguard of broadband availability but there are ulterior motives for this. I don't think I am alone in thinking that this government is out to get as much from taxation as it possibly can. This has been their aim so far. What you download won't be the main target, broadband will be there and every household will be levied a tax to swell the government's coffers. Lies and deceit are the mainstay of this government. In all my many years I have never, never, never mistrusted a government as much as New Labour.