UK Government launches Digital Britain report
Jinfo Blog

31st January 2009

By Diana Nutting

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The interim Digital Britain report was published by the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on 29th January 2009. It includes a 22-point action plan outlining a programme of work with commitments to: • upgrade and modernise wired, wireless and broadcast infrastructure • secure a dynamic investment climate for UK digital content and services • provide a range of high quality UK made public service content • ensure fairness and access, with universal availability and promotion of skills and media literacy • develop the infrastructure, skills and take-up to enable widespread online delivery of public services. In addition to specific commitments, the Interim Report outlines Britain’s progress in building a digital market-place, while also setting priorities for industry engagement ahead of the publication of the final Digital Britain Report, due before the summer. The report contains some encouraging recommendations about online piracy, illegal filesharing, and copyright. Strikingly, it issues a call to arms to the creative industries to look afresh at their business models and even their attitudes to copyright in the light of the digital revolution. The report says that counter-piracy measures and effective rights enforcement are an “important element” of upholding creative copyright and content ownership, but are insufficient on their own It says that new methods of legitimate access, based on new business models and incentive structures will be crucial. In return, the report pledges to enter into consultation over a legislative approach to force internet service providers to notify illegal downloaders when they are committing an offence, and collect anonymous data and personal details of the worst offenders to be passed on to rights holders after the issuing of a court order. As yet the report does not seem to offer a clear vision of how to move to a fully functioning knowledge economy, but the full Digital Britain report will be fully unveiled in late spring along with related proposals. The Interim Digital Britain report is available on the DCMS website http://digbig.com/4yeqk.

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