All Just A Coincidence…

Go back to your crossword, peasants. You ‘Sun’ readers, go back to….whatever you were doing with that ‘Page Three’ picture:

Lord Mandelson launched a crackdown on internet piracy just days after meeting a leading Hollywood critic of illegal file sharing.

The business secretary plans to criminalise the estimated seven million people - one in 12 of the population - who illicitly download music and films over the internet.

In what critics describe as a gross attack on civil liberties, those flouting new laws could see their internet accounts suspended and face fines of up to £50,000.

Parents could even be thrown off the net even if it is their children that are caught downloading tracks upstairs in their bedrooms, not them.

Hmmm.

As ‘Constantly Furious’ puts it:

“Never mind the recession, the bloated public sector and soaring crime, eh? What really keeps CF awake at night is wondering if Lady Gaga is getting all of her royalties.”

Indeed…

Lord Mandelson ordered officials to draw up the draconian regulations days after dinner with David Geffen, who founded the Asylum record label which signed Bob Dylan.

The pair dined on 7 August at the Rothschild family villa on Corfu, while Mandelson was holidaying on the Greek island.

How cozy…

The controversial new laws, set to be announced in a 'Digital Britain' bill to be published next month, would target broadband users who persistently download music and films for nothing.

But former digital engagement minister Tom Watson is leading a campaign against the legislation, which is due to form a key plank of this autumn's Queen's Speech.

Writing in the Independent on Sunday, Mr Watson called for people who upload illegal content should be targeted, rather than downloaders.

But, in the case of sharing sites like BitTorrent, aren’t those two the same thing, in most cases?

A spokesman for Lord Mandelson said file sharing was not discussed at the dinner with Mr Geffen.

Pull the other one, Mandy, it’s got bells on…

But a source at his business department said: 'Until the past week, Mandelson had shown little personal interest in the Digital Britain agenda. Suddenly Peter returned from holiday and effectively issued this edict that the regulation needs to be tougher.'

If it smells fishy, it’s usually because it IS fishy…