Government dumps plans to cut internet from file sharers

Almost as if every single vote counted, the government has announced that it won't be bringing forward plans to disconnect filesharers found to be using unlicensed files:

In a response to a petition on the Number 10 website that petitioned Gordon Brown "to abandon Lord Mandelson's plans to ban individuals from the internet based on their use of 'peer to peer' file sharing", the government says: "We will not terminate the accounts of infringers – it is very hard to see how this could be deemed proportionate except in the most extreme – and therefore probably criminal – cases."

It's not totally withdrawn the threat, though:

"We added account suspension to the list of possible technical measures which might be considered if our measures to tackle unlawful file-sharing through notifications and legal action are not as successful as we hope. This is but one of a number of possible options on which we would seek advice from Ofcom – and others – if we decided to consider a third obligation on technical measures. However what is clear is that we would need a rapid and robust route of appeal available to all consumers if we decided technical measures were needed."

So they're saying they won't buy the big dog, but might still visit the kennel if Ofcom says they should.

It's not like Brown wants to come off like some sort of bully.