Consumer Focus slams Government plans for copyright agency

The Government is trying to steamroller through its proposals for a digital rights agency, Consumer Focus has warned.

The consumer rights watchdog said by giving stakeholders just 10 working days in which to respond to proposals for a digital rights agency laid out in the Copyright in the Digital World open consultation, any responses the Government received would be rushed and ad hoc.

The concept of a digital rights agency was initially recommended in the Digital Britain interim report, published at the end of January. But Consumer Focus said the issues this raised and proposals put forward were so serious – in some instances they could unfairly criminalise consumers – they needed proper debate.

Ed Mayo, chief executive of Consumer Focus, said: "This must be the shortest 'non-consultation' in history. This issue needs to be debated thoroughly, not decided on the basis of some quick 'conversation' held by men in suits."

"The Government has gone down the wrong road with this one. The thinking is fundamentally flawed and would result in thousands of consumers being needlessly criminalised."

If implemented, the Government’s proposals for a digital rights agency would see an industry-run body set up to enforce copyright law. Consumer Focus said this will have a significant impact on the UK economy and society for generations to come.

However, Consumer Focus said it believed the Government should abandon plans to create such a body and focus its efforts instead on copyright violations perpetrated by organised crime.

Final submissions to Copyright in the Digital World were due by 30 March 2009.