Secret Internet Policing Treaty leaked.. extremely bad news (if it happens)

[Akraz]

FTA: http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/03...right-tre.html

Secret copyright treaty leaks. It's bad. Very bad.
The internet chapter of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, a secret copyright treaty whose text Obama's administration refused to disclose due to "national security" concerns, has leaked. It's bad. It says:

* * That ISPs have to proactively police copyright on user-contributed material. This means that it will be impossible to run a service like Flickr or YouTube or Blogger, since hiring enough lawyers to ensure that the mountain of material uploaded every second isn't infringing will exceed any hope of profitability.

* * That ISPs have to cut off the Internet access of accused copyright infringers or face liability. This means that your entire family could be denied to the internet -- and hence to civic participation, health information, education, communications, and their means of earning a living -- if one member is accused of copyright infringement, without access to a trial or counsel.

* * That the whole world must adopt US-style "notice-and-takedown" rules that require ISPs to remove any material that is accused -- again, without evidence or trial -- of infringing copyright. This has proved a disaster in the US and other countries, where it provides an easy means of censoring material, just by accusing it of infringing copyright.

* * Mandatory prohibitions on breaking DRM, even if doing so for a lawful purpose (e.g., to make a work available to disabled people; for archival preservation; because you own the copyrighted work that is locked up with DRM)

[Emancipated]

Sounds like a lot of political posturing. Doesn't it need to pass a vote here in Canada?

[hagbard]

Just more whittling away at our freedom. Might not get it through in one chuck but they'll do it in pieces. This has been going on for a very long time. Governments don't like what they can't control.

[proust]

Alarmism

[hagbard]

Alarmism

Sure.

[Shaner]

Just more whittling away at our freedom. Might not get it through in one chuck but they'll do it in pieces. This has been going on for a very long time. Governments don't like what they can't control.

The governments don't give a crap about copyrights nor do they care about controlling the internet. The spread of information on the internet is what threatens government, and nothing the government does can stop that. The only reason they are doing anything about copyrights is because all their rich friends are forcing their hands.

Just another reason why I don't believe democracy/capitalism works. The only people that benefit are the wealthy. The middle class is seemingly disappearing and the lower class seems to get more and more people added to it every year.

[hagbard]

The governments don't give a crap about copyrights nor do they care about controlling the internet. The spread of information on the internet is what threatens government, and nothing the government does can stop that. The only reason they are doing anything about copyrights is because all their rich friends are forcing their hands.

Just another reason why I don't believe democracy/capitalism works. The only people that benefit are the wealthy. The middle class is seemingly disappearing and the lower class seems to get more and more people added to it every year.

How convenient too. Blame the "capitalists" then put them all in charge when we switch over to socialism. Same guys, different title.

[delavoie]

it's fake.. not true at all.

[hagbard]

it's fake.. not true at all.

Could be.

[ephemera]

Sometimes they float these idea's to see the public reaction. But I do see this really happening eventually. Nothing good lasts for ever.

[5dark]

From the original article:

Despite the efforts to combat leaks, information on the Internet chapter has begun to emerge (just as they did with the other elements of the treaty). Sources say that the draft text, modeled on the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement, focuses on following five issues:

Sources have also said in the past that Elvis is alive, Obama was never even born, the moon landing was fake, and Fox news is fair and balanced.

People need to start speculating more responsibly... don't believe everything you read on the internet.

[Georgie336]

don't believe everything you read on the internet.

...but i thought internet=god?

[Akraz]

don't believe everything you read on the internet.

I dont, however enough evidence is building up. with the introduction of internet censorship and removing net neutrality. who's to say this isn't a possibility?

[hagbard]

From the original article:


Sources have also said in the past that Elvis is alive, Obama was never even born, the moon landing was fake, and Fox news is fair and balanced.

People need to start speculating more responsibly... don't believe everything you read on the internet.

Sources also said that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and if we don't attack now the next warning will be a mushroom cloud. Its not limited to the internet. BTW, the moon landing is fake (can use me as a source).

[hagbard]

I dont, however enough evidence is building up. with the introduction of internet censorship and removing net neutrality. who's to say this isn't a possibility?

Doesn't net neutrality involve having the govt decide what is neutral or not and making adjustments? Sounds like regulation to me, not a free wheeling internet we all enjoy. Its yet another back door to control.