The time is upon us. The time that everyone has been dreading..
The time when Internet Service Providers (ISPs) attempt censor the internet.
After a recent court ruling, BT has been ordered to block access to Newzbin2 (described as the 'Google of Usenet', it makes it easier to find files on Usenet) after The Motion Picture Association won a court injunction.
Arnold J. of the High Court of Justice decided that the fact that BT knows that the copyright infringement is happening is reason enough to enforce the court order.
How far will they go?
For now, the main concern with blocking sites is to save corporations money that they would otherwise lose if their media was illegally downloaded as opposed to bought (although that claim in itself is circumstantial, See here).
What if they start banning minority political parties, or religious sites, or sites that promote news stories that have a negative impact on major corporations or the government?
Who would decide upon which websites are suitable, and which sites to ban?
There are already rumours that Newzbin2 have found a way around the site block. If other ISPs follow BT down the same route, then it would appear the people who are paying for the service, the end users, will be the people worst affected.
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