TalkTalk's executive director of strategy and regulation has warned the public will be hit hardest by the implementation of the Digital Economy Act (DEA) in its current form.

Speaking to tech news provider V3, Andrew Heaney insisted the obligations enforced on broadband providers by the legislation to notify account holders that are suspected of carrying out illegal file sharing "will not work".

Although he acknowledged the intention that the creative industries are looking to achieve is "legitimate", he stated this aim will not be achieved by the DEA.

"It will see millions of innocent people accused and threatened and will cost hundreds of millions of pounds," Mr Heaney argued.

TalkTalk and BT won a judicial review of the act in November 2010, with the executive expressing his confidence that the internet service providers will win the full hearing.

He argued the Digital Economy Bill had been rushed through parliament, with only six per cent of MPs attending the "very brief debate" in the last few days of the Labour government.

Add a comment

Comment

Your name

Your e-mail address

Comments (1)

18th July 2009

Watch out though if you're considering getting the NC10 netbook package from Vodafone - it only comes with a 3-cell battery unlike the 6 cell version the retail Samsung is packaged with, meaning you will barely get 3 hour's use, unlike the 7+ hours all the reviews rave about and one of the NC10's strongest selling points.