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The high court has broken ground in the UK, with a first-of-its-kind copyright ruling ordering BT to block Newzbin2 within 14 days. The ruling follows the request of a coalition of Hollywood studios and could set a precedent leading to more filesharing clampdowns.
Justice Arnold passed judgement that will force the UK’s largest ISP, BT, to block the usenet search engine indefinitely. Importantly the judge said:
“Furthermore, I do not consider that the studios should be obliged to return to court for an order in respect of every single IP address or URL that the operators of Newzbin2 may use.”
It essentially means that no matter what Newsbin2 do regarding shifting IP addresses, or any other URL changes or linking, BT will have to prevent its customers from accessing it. The problem for BT, on top of interference with customers’ browsing, is that they’ll have to foot the entire bill regarding implementing and maintenance of the blockade themselves.
This landmark ruling might set a precedent that could see any and all filesharing facilitating sites blocked at the ISP level. Of course if you’re tech savvy enough to get your content from usenet, chances are circumventing your ISP’s blockade won’t be all that much of a bother. When will content producers wise up and give us the content we want, in a way we want and for a price people are prepared to pay? [Guardian]
Surprise! Newzbin Users Not Stopped by BT's Filtering Attempts
Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk Asked to Join BT Newzbin Block
This sounds unfair to me. If a criminal robs your bank and then uses a private road to escape, the banks owners can’t make the owners of that road put up roadblocks to catch then at their own expense. Also if the order only applies to Newsbin2 can they just change their name and start up again?
No, that’s what the judge’s extra words on the subject dealt with. In his eyes, BT must block it whatever form it morphs into.
1) Newzbin2 have made their own client foreseeing this stupid ruling.
2) The average BT user doesnt have the knowhow to make use of usenet anyway.
3) Why the hell would anyone use BT as their isp?
4) I know vodafone@home is using BT isp space (which I am part of) so I still refer you to point 1.
Also most Usenet clients have a built in search anyway. They are no way near as good as most web based ones, but hopefully this newzbin one will do the business.
This is very true. This client basically looks for all the different ways to connect to newzbin2 and sets up the one that works. BT will never be able to block them for more then a few hours to a day at a time.
Some of us have no choice but to use BT, Where I live I can have 0.6mbit adsl with any other ISP or 37Mbit BT Infinity so it’s a no-brainer really.
I’m a usenet user but i’m following Rule #1 and not going to talk about it.
You have a choice. Many ISPs offer FTTC. See http://www.thinkbroadband.com/guide/fibre-broadband.html
The problem here is that it’s being filtered through CleanFeed, filtering technology that BT developed for the IWF to block child pornography, 95% of UK ISPs now use CleanFeed and the government/save the children type charities are pushing for the remaining 5% of ISPs to adopt it, the filter is going to hit every ISP practically
You have a valid point, bt is such a terrible ISP in my area, I get touchy about it I guess. 37mb Internet is something for me to be very jealous of lol. doh.