Anti-Phorm petition rises up chart

[James Firth]

On 05 April 2008 18:06, Sammy Lowrie wrote:
> How much attention, if known, does Downing Street take to the e-petitions?

I don't believe Gordon Brown is intending to step aside to allow Jeremy
Clarkson to take his rightful place:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/PMClarkson/

I think we need to consider the interests who are likely to be lobbying
indirectly to support Phorm's position:

1.) Equipment manufacturers who have spent money developing DPI switches
2.) Phorm itself
3.) Music and motion picture rights holders, who are lobbying for ISPs to
install equipment to detect passage of infringing works (Eircom vs IRMA) 
4.) ISPs, interested in more "Value Added Services"

Then consider the governments own position, which I fear unfortunately but
inevitably will fall in favour of DPI technologies and manufactures.  And
not just for covert surveillance but for other censorship purposes, widening
the role e.g. of cleanfeed-type technologies:

>From The Guardian 17-Jan-2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jan/17/uksecurity.terrorism
"
On the threat from the internet, [Jacqui] Smith said the government was
already working closely with the communications industry to take action
against paedophiles, and planned to target extremist websites in the same
way. "Where there is illegal material on the net, I want it removed," she
said.
" 

Someone needs to put a little word back to the government that such
technologies in the hands of third parties is not always such a good thing.

James Firth