Open Rights Group demands to be involved in DEA talks

An open letter has been sent to ministers Ed Vaizey and Jeremy Hunt

The Open Rights Group (ORG) has sent an open letter to government ministers Ed Vaizey and Jeremy Hunt asking to be involved in discussions about developing a ‘Plan B' for web site blocking.

Recently the government asked Ofcom to review the practicalities of the Digital Economy Act, and a working group of ISPs and rights holders has also been formed to establish a ‘Plan B' for web site blocking.

The ORG's executive director, Jim Killock, argues it is important for the digital group to be represented in such discussions, as site blocking impacts people's civil liberties, human rights and consumer interests.

"At Open Rights Group we can claim to represent tens of thousands of people who have expressed strongly held concerns about the impact and workability of web blocking as a means of tackling file-sharing," Killock wrote in the letter.

"These issues raise very serious problems relating to freedom of expression, access to knowledge and privacy.

"But it is likely that these issues will not be given sufficient weight should discussions feature only rights holders and ISPs. To include only these voices means there is a real risk that the flaws of the Digital Economy Act will be repeated," he concluded.