#blackout

Section 92A of  Amended New Zealand Copyright Act comes into effect on the 28th of February, 2008.

The chilling effect of 92A has been reported here before – one email to an unused address, and a family’s internet connection was switched off.

It is pleasing that MP’s from all sides have indicated that this section of the act has issues, and my personal belief is that the 92A section slipped in without notice of almost all MPs.

However the required code of conduct between ISP’s and the “Creative industry” is unlikely to be negotiated before the implementation date. Much more crucially there needs to be public (internet users) and creative, people that are not associated with the RIAA and MPAA controlled NZ equivalents, representation in the drafting, agreement and implementation of any code of conduct.

We should recognise that society and our economy now demand that high speed reliable internet access is a utility, and like electricity, gas and water it should only be switched off in exceptional circumstances.

<update. After 7 days of pressure and campaigning the Cabinet has today decided to delay implementaton for a month (March 29), and for another 6 months if there is no agreed code of conduct by then. Well done to the Government, and to the global campaign.>

<update 2 – after a day we’ve now reverted to normal view>