File‐sharing,Filtering and the Spectre of the Automated Censor

The European Parliament's Bono report is an example of how politicians can speak up for the interests of citizens against those of multi‐national corporations. The report concerned the economic status of the cultural industries in Europe, but it has become known for one amendment, protecting citizens' rights on the Internet. The issue at stake is open access to the Internet, versus alleged copyright infringement through online file sharing. As the UK sets out its own policy proposals for copyright and the Internet, the Bono amendment invites us to consider the wider agenda for copyright enforcement, content filtering and the potential for industrial censorship.