Digital rights campaign group, The Open Rights Group (ORG) has called for a public debate on illegal online file sharing after its request to attend a meeting on 15 June between communications minister Ed Vaisey, Internet service providers and copyright holders was turned down. The ORG has accused that right holders had presented a secret proposal to Vaisey.

The official consumer organisation Consumer Focus attended a meeting on 15 June. Other groups including the ORG were not invited.

The ORG is a six-year-old UK-based organisation that works to preserve digital rights and freedoms.

ORG executive director Jim Killock said the covert manner in which the government and the trade groups were proceeding on the policy is unacceptable.

Killock said, "It is unacceptable for trade groups and government to conduct policy in this way. Censorship proposals must be made and discussed in public."

He added, "Many of us will oppose any censorship that impacts directly and widely on free expression. Governments would be wise to assess the strength of our arguments, rather than waiting for trade bodies to find their narrow, commercial arguments unravel once their proposals reach the light of day."

The government has said that "consumer representatives were invited".

The Digital Economy Act (DEA) allows for blocking of websites after a secondary legislation is passed.

In the Ed Vaizey website blocking roundtable, 15 June 2011, a working paper was presented titled ‘Addressing websites that are substantially focused on infringement’ by the Football Association Premier League Limited; the Publishers Association; BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited; the Motion Picture Association; and the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television.

Consumer Focus, which attended the meeting, has raised concerns over the "disproportionate"measures suggested in the paper.

Consumer Focus said, "Consumer Focus has serious concerns about the proposal by copyright owner trade associations which would see ISPs block access to websites at a network level for all UK users."

The watchdog’s main concern is the fact that the trade associations do not identify the problem.

It added, "We do not believe website blocking should be seriously considered as an option if copyright owners have not licensed their content to meet consumer demand through new digital platforms."

"We understand that the Premier League would like to see websites blocked which enable UK consumers to stream football games from other territories. We believe that the first step to address this problem is to assess whether consumers’ evident demand for streaming football games online is met by legal services.

"Consumers’ willingness to, or preference for, watching football games online and on mobile devices will not diminish because access to unlicensed websites is blocked.

As such website blocking does not represent an effective solution."

Consumer Focus has offered to work with copyright owners to ensure that consumers have access to legal services.

The BBC reported that a spokesperson from the Department for Culture Media and Sport said, "The Government hosted a useful discussion between ISPs and rights holders on issues around industry proposals for a site blocking scheme to help tackle online copyright infringement.

"Consumer representatives were invited and Consumer Focus attended the meeting."