14 DAY TRIAL // A few days ago, we were reporting that the EU Parliament would submit Telecom Package to voting. The law in itself was not such a big threat to online privacy, but the amendments were and consequently, numerous privacy watchdogs promptly reacted. Well, it seems that the members of the Parliament voted in favor of the amendments, but another round of voting scheduled in September will determine whether the law is approved or not.
Malcolm Harbour is a European Member of Parliament en charge of overseeing the controversial law. This is what he commented on the issue, "There has been a great deal of dismay in the committee at the interpretation being put on these amendments. They have nothing to do with copyright enforcement. The interpretation of them is alarmist and scare-mongering and deflects from the intention which was to improve consumers' rights".
Of course, privacy watchdogs such as the FFII (Foundation for a Free Internet Infrastructure) did not find much solace in Harbour's statement, unlike a law professor at the University of Southampton by the name of Lilian Edwards. The reason for that is the fact that Harbour declared that any amendment open to interpretation would be adequately modified. Any revisions to the law and its amendments can be made later.
Here is what Lilian Edwards said, "The good news, as far as Pangloss is concerned, is that the drafter, Malcolm Harbour, got interviewed at same time as me by the Beeb, and reiterated, as he had in return emails to voters throughout the day, that it was absolutely not the intention of the amendments to lay the foundations for legitimizing member states introduction of 'three strikes and you're out'. Pangloss is relieved to hear this".
In the UK, for example, the authorities are already trying to combat online piracy. Virgin Media is sending out letters to illegal music sharers.