British Internet Legislation Causes Rising Tension

A package of legislation designed to combat copyright infringement in Britain is stirring more controversy as it moves through Parliament. The Digital Economy Bill came about in part after the entertainment industry in the U.K. charged it has been damaged by the illegal downloading of content on peer-to-peer file-sharing networks. The U.K. government said last year that file sharing cost its music industry £180 million (US$270 million), citing figures from the British Recorded Music Industry. The Digital Economy Bill received its third reading in the House of Lords on Monday, the last chance in which the members of the unelected upper house of Parliament can change parts of the bill before it moves to the House of Commons.