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As amended

This bill was submitted by the Rt Hon. Zach Henderson MP on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, with amendments by Derek Cloyd MP, Zach Henderson MP, and Sir Alan Z. H. Chiang MP.

Digital Rights Bill 2019

A Bill to define and protect the digital rights of residents throughout the United Kingdom.

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1 Definitions

  1. "Internet service provider" means a business that provides internet access service to an individual, corporation, government, or other customer in the UK.
    1. A "major internet service provider" is any internet service provider with 1 000 000 subscribers or more who hold permanent residence in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (Lords Amendment A)
  2. "Edge provider" means any individual or entity that provides any content, application, or service over the Internet, and any individual or entity that provides a device used for accessing any content, application, or service over the Internet.
(Amendment C)

2 Definition of Digital Rights

  1. Every resident of the United Kingdom is able to the following rights on the Internet:
    1. Right of access to the Internet
    2. Right of internet privacy
    3. Right of net neutrality
  2. These should be known as the “Digital Rights of the UK”
    1. This may be used for governmental, educational, and marketing purposes
     (Lords Amendment B)

3 Access to the Internet

  1. By the end of 2022, add more free-of-charge internet hotspots throughout the UK Internet providers are required to install free WiFi in major transit hubs across the UK. (Amendment A)
    1. These hotspots would be in populous areas and major tourist attractions.
    2. Failure for such appointed internet providers to meet the requirements to establish WiFi hotspots in major transit hubs within 6 months may result in a £1,000,000 fine. (Amendment A)
    3. These would be use
  2. Internet providers are requested to install free WiFi in major transit hubs across the UK.
    1. These include major public airports and train stations.
    2. This does include trips that begin in Mainland Europe (Amendment B)
  3. The Secretary of State may issue an order to a major internet service provider commanding it to install free Wi-Fi in any site meeting any of the following criteria:
    1. A site deemed to be a major tourist attraction
    2. A site deemed to have an especially high population density
    3. A bus interchange
    4. A railway or rapid transit station
    5. A port
  4. Failure to comply with an order as outlined in paragraph (1) may result in a fine of up to £1,000,000. (Lords Amendment A)
    5.
  5. By the end of 2022, increase the amount of free WiFi on long-distance trains to 100%. By 2022, all trains used for long-distance train journeys must have free Wi-Fi.
    1. Long distance is defined as at least 1 hour. A "long-distance" train journey is any train journey that either travels a distance of greater than 70 kilometres, or takes at least 1 hour to arrive at its destination. (Lords Amendment A)

4 Right of Internet Privacy

  1. Internet providers are recommended to create stronger firewalls. Internet providers are required to have their firewalls audited by a panel of people with atleast a bachelor's degree in cyber security with such panel being led by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
    1. The government Failure to comply with the government's requirements for audit within 3 months, such internet providers will be fined £500,000.
    2. If the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is unable to lead in said audits, they may appoint someone within the panel. (Amendment A)
  2. Upon passage of this law the Defence Secretary, the Culture Secretary, and the Home Secretary are to create an internet security task force.
    1. The task force will protect UK Citizens against identity theft and other internet threats, such as cyberwarfare

5 Right of Net Neutrality

    1. No internet company may block anything content regarding:
    1. The government of the United Kingdom
    2. Any political party of the United Kingdom
    3. Any lawful content
    4. Any paid promotions by the internet
  1. No internet service provider in the UK may block lawful content, applications, services, or nonharmful devices unless it is done so with the express consent of the end user.
    2. At the end of each year, every Internet company must report accurate information on their disclosure to protect those rights. to the Secretary of State for State and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
    1. If not, the company will be fined £100,000 for this failure
    2. If they do not for 5 years, the company will not be allowed to operate inside the UK.
  2. Any internet company is impacted by Article 3 of European Union Resolution 2015/2120. Articles 3 and 4 of European Union Resolution 2015/2120 shall apply to all internet service providers in the UK.
(Amendment C)

6 Transparency on Digital Rights

  1. All internet service providers and edge providers must submit a yearly report to the Secretary of State on how they have safeguarded the aforementioned rights for their customers.
    1. If not, the company will be fined £100,000 for this failure.
    2. If they do not for 5 years, the company will not be allowed to operate inside the UK.
(Amendment C)

7 Marketing of the Digital Rights

  1. Upon passage of this law, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport will begin marketing these rights to the public.
    1. The Department for Education will also be able to teach these rights to children in classes, varying in learning from year to year.
 (Lords Amendment B)

7 Extent, commencement, and short title

  1. This act shall be cited as the “Digital Rights Act 2019”.
  2. This act comes into force upon receiving Royal Assent.
  3. This Act extends to the entire United Kingdom.
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