Three Reasons It's Back To Square One For UK's Digital Copyright Strategy

Three announcements mean the UK's approach to digital copyright infringement may be majorly halted and started over, despite months of wrangling over controversial legislation.

1. Internet service providers British Telecom and TalkTalk have been granted a judicial review of the Digital Economy Act, which was passed by the last, Labour government in April to digital rights' lobbyists chagrin.
2. The new government launched a review of how intellectual property law should change to better encourage innovation.
3. A parliamentary committee which scrutinizes the government's media and culture legislation launched its own inquiry in to protecting IP rights online, apparently intending to unpick the Act itself.

It's a confluence that, after a bitter couple of years industry debate, is likely to throw everything back in the air again. Following the election in May, new culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said he would not repeal the Digital Economy Act, which would have compelled ISPs to hamper the most flagrant abusers' connections. But the new government now has an opportunity to put its own imprimatur on proceedings.