Note: This article may appear slightly outdated in light of our new government.  It was intended for the first issue of The Stag after Easter, however due to a Liberal Democrat member abusing the terms and conditions concerning propaganda in the student paper, that edition has since been made obsolete. You’ve just got to love those arse-kissing Clegg fanboys!

I know what you’re wondering. Why can you hear wheezing? Is it the sound of a 40-a-day smoker who’s run out of L&B’s, suddenly realized Co-op is closed and has resorted to rifling through a litterbin?  No. It’s far less dignified than that.  Listen closely, and in fact you’ll find it’s the unmistakable sound of The Digital Economy Bill, croaking and spluttering as it half-heartedly limps into UK legislation.

 The Digital Economy Bill, also known as ‘Lord Mandelson’s Great Offensive’, passed the legislative process on 8^th April this year, thanks to a helpful nudge from the Conservatives.  The bill, as many file-sharers know, deals with a lot of bland small print regarding the digital switchover, but more importantly, the government’s nightmarish suppression of copyright infringement.  In other words, Lord Peter’s bogeyman threats about cracking down on illegal file sharing is now a dangerous reality.  The next time you fancy clicking on a torrent to get your greedy, selfish hands on the Smashing Pumpkin’s back catalogue, be prepared to fight off a government thug with your keyboard whilst his mate takes to your modem with a sledgehammer.

 Apart from Billy Corgan’s ridiculous ego, who else is to benefit from an online piracy crackdown? Ah yes, that’s right: the conglomerates.  If there’s one thing you can say to a cabinet minister, desperate to conceal New Labour’s hunger for globalization behind a façade of old ‘local’ values, its that illegal downloading is single-handedly destroying what has been strategically referred to as the ‘British creative industry’.  At last! A scapegoat! With that, Mandelson’s rushed his flawed proposals forward without a moment’s hesitation.

 And flawed they are.  Not since The Dangerous Dogs Act has an act seen so little debate, and so much expert advice ignored.  Within 48 hours of this bill coming to light, 10,000 constituents had complained to their MP.  Websites that outsource copyright material, such as Wikileaks, may see a ban, and critics have rightly questioned where this will stop.  The Internet is a place to share.  There is no advantage to the public, or even the artists who see a minimal profit via record sales when compared to gig revenue – a business that depends on the continued support of all music lovers.

 The Digital Economy Bill is an ineffectual mess designed to favour record companies and inconvenience the majority.  It is for this reason, that its hysterical policies will be ignored in an age where music can no longer be patented.

Tom Goulding