The government will not exempt universities, libraries and small businesses providing open Wi-Fi services from its Digital Economy Bill copyright crackdown, according to official advice released last week.
This would leave many businesses open to the same penalties for copyright infringement as individual subscribers, potentially including disconnection from the internet, leading legal experts to say it will become impossible for small businesses and the like to offer Wi-Fi access.
In the 'Explanatory Document' (http://is.gd/9w6kl) Lord Young, a minister at BIS (Department for Business Innovation & Skills), described common classes of public Wi-Fi access, and explained that none of them could be protected. Libraries {and small businesses], he said, could not be exempted because "this would send entirely the wrong signal and could lead to 'fake' organisations being set up, claiming an exemption and becoming a hub for copyright infringement". ...... More: http://is.gd/9w7nB
Open Wi-Fi 'outlawed' by Digital Economy Bill
Open Wi-Fi 'outlawed' by Digital Economy Bill
Chairman
Wales Association of Self Catering Operators (WASCO)
http://www.wasco.org.uk
Member of The Federation of National Self Catering Associations (FoNSCA)
http://www.fonsca.org.uk
Wales Association of Self Catering Operators (WASCO)
http://www.wasco.org.uk
Member of The Federation of National Self Catering Associations (FoNSCA)
http://www.fonsca.org.uk
Note, it's 'OPEN' WiFi that's the issue. As things stand, small businesses will have the option to password protect access and keep records for everyone they assign connections to.
Chairman
Wales Association of Self Catering Operators (WASCO)
http://www.wasco.org.uk
Member of The Federation of National Self Catering Associations (FoNSCA)
http://www.fonsca.org.uk
Wales Association of Self Catering Operators (WASCO)
http://www.wasco.org.uk
Member of The Federation of National Self Catering Associations (FoNSCA)
http://www.fonsca.org.uk
- Ben McNevis
- Posts: 846
- Joined: Mon May 15, 2006 10:07 am
- Location: Scotland (for) The Brave
- Contact:
Bizarre! I saw on the regional news yesterday or the day before that the city of Peterborough is poised to spend a bundle of cash setting up free public Wifi covering the whole of the city centre.
Now I suppose they'll have to spend the money on councillors' expenses instead.
Now I suppose they'll have to spend the money on councillors' expenses instead.
Cheers, Ben
www . scotland-cottage.com www . scottish-cottage.com
Visiting Glenrothes? It's one of your Fife-a-day
www . scotland-cottage.com www . scottish-cottage.com
Visiting Glenrothes? It's one of your Fife-a-day