Beginning of the end for the Internet in the UK?

[Steven Parker]

I've already heard comments on how this news strangleholds Web 2.0 service providers. What could it mean for education providers hosting hteir own blogs, wikis LMS's...

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/19/beginning-of-the-end-for-the-internet-in-the-uk/

"This is as bad as I've ever seen, folks. It's a declaration of war by the entertainment industry and their captured regulators against the principles of free speech, privacy, freedom of assembly, the presumption of innocence, and competition.

This proposal creates the office of Pirate-Finder General, with unlimited power to appoint militias who are above the law, who can pry into every corner of your life, who can disconnect you from your family, job, education and government, who can fine you or put you in jail."

Cory Doctorow

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/19/breaking-leaked-uk-g.html

[Steven Parker]

The big money influence in this particular case with the UK politician Peter Mandelson is there for all to see.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/25/mandelson-web-cutoff-plan-attacked

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/6599281/Societe-Generale-tells-clients-how-to-prepare-for-global-collapse.html

As the economy collapses I guess we are going to go through the transition from the 'totalitarian tip toe' to the 'totalitarian stomp' as all of the old institutions like the fourth estate try to ram through legislation to enforce their interests in controlling knowledge after the carnage. Big turning point, hopefully people will see it and education organisations provide a solution for people to learn and adapt.

"Over the past decade, we watched privatization lock up the knowledge of the ages and threaten teachers so they can no longer use resources freely in classrooms; instead they must pay royalties for any resource they excerpt for educational use." Don Perrin

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/19/breaking-leaked-uk-g.html

I expect this information to have a chilling effect on some education organisations embracing open content. Or then again if they reflect it may be the thing that forces their hand to fully embrace publish and adapt the use of open licensed content (As Leigh and other TALO members have advocated for a long time) such as creative commons.