National
Spanish Congress votes to keep and extend the digital cannon
By h.b. - Dec 20, 2007 - 7:48 PM
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The hopes of many internet users were dashed in Congress on Thursday as the Socialist government managed to rally enough support to keep their ‘canon digital’ – digital surcharge on mobile phones and MP3 players.
It means more expensive mobile phones, Mp3 players and flash USB memory sticks from January. Phones will see a 1.5 € surcharge, Mp3 players 3.15 € charge, 17 cents on a blank CD and 44 cents on a blank DVD. There will also be charges added to printers, copiers, scanners, CD and DVD recorders and independent hard disc drives.
The Partido Popular leader, Mariano Rajoy, had opposed the new surcharges, saying it presumed that everyone was engaged in criminal activity. While admitting that artists should be compensated, he said another method had to be found.
It’s part of a new law designed to promote the information society in Spain which also means the Government will be able to close down offensive websites. The Government denied that this measure in anyway breached freedom of expression, but it remains unclear who would have the last say in the suggested closure of any webpage. The new law also obliges public administration to make all public documents available for access online.
Measures to control gaming online in Spain were postponed for now however.
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The importance of the Internet ahead of the General Election in March is ever clearer, especially among young voters. Both the main parties have been producing so-called viral videos to promote their message, and Mariano Rajoy on Thursday launched a new website where he reveals much about himself with childhood photos included.
Unfortunately for the Partido Popular, a security error on the page, found by the Blog ‘La Tejedora’ allowed anyone access to modify the contents, and the page saw the message ‘Zapatero Presidente!’ online for much of the day.