[WARNING] Internet privacy and freedom is about to come to an end

[schim]

Yesterday I learnt of a terrible threat: the ACTA treaty

What's that threat?

ACTA stands for: Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. It is an International Treaty that will be pushed to implementation by 2010. It has been discussed in secret since October 2007, and has been leaked by government officials who were against the unconstitutional, ineffective, inhumane, and unlawful nature of such a treaty.

Countries where in ATCA is going to be used:

Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, The Republic of Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States

The scope of ACTA includes counterfeit goods, generic medicines, Internet censorship, irrational new downloading laws and what is termed "piracy over the Internet".

Why is ACTA bad for you?

ACTA is a treaty, which would overcome many court precedents in your own country that defines consumer rights as to "fair use" and would remove any limitations on the application of intellectual property laws. This means that ACTA would succesfully overrule the laws and rules in your own country has on these subjects, ACTA can and will deal harsher and unfairer then your country's laws allow, and all of that without any (fair) trail even if you are just suspected of doing something against this new agreement

Furthermore, ACTA forces ISP's to log EVERYTHING you do on the internet, anything suspicious must be reported to the gouverment:

"US wants ISPs to be held liable for internet piracy unless they agree to “put in place policies to deter unauthorised storage and transmission of IP [internet protocol] infringing content”. This runs counter to existing EU law, which grants ISPs broad protection from liability. The US has proposed that ISP “policies” could include shutting off users' internet access after they have received prior warnings. This is similar to the so-called Hadopi system being introduced in France, but could contradict an EU telecoms law agreed last year."


We will be forced to pay with much higher Internet bills, in order to allow this invasion of privacy.

Other reasons why ACTA should never come into being:

1. It makes it more difficult to distribute free software; Without file sharing and P2P technologies like BitTorrent, distributing large amounts of free software becomes much harder, and more expensive. BitTorrent is a grassroots protocol that allows everyone to contribute to legally distributing free software.

2. It will make it harder for users of free operating systems, such as Linux-based to play media. Consumers are no longer allowed to buy media without DRM and DRM'ed media cannot be played with free software.

3. It allows your devices to be taken away without any explanation whatsoever as part of random security checks. Devices suspected of including pirated material and/or copyright infringements will also be confiscated and searched. Not only is this an invasion of Privacy, this could mean restricted to people carrying digital equipment. This means that bringing an iPod or a laptop through airport security could cost hours off your time. This is not only restricted to digital device carriers. This extends the time required for the average check-in up to 70%, assuming 1 in 10 people receive a searched media Device.

4. ACTA requires that existing ISPs no longer host free software that has the possibility of including copyrighted media; this would substantially affect many sites that offer free software or host software projects such as SourceForge and Download.com. Most software we use on our computers are free. Are we to pay the price because of a misleading treaty?

5. Part of the ACTA treaty states that import generic medicine are to be restricted and controlled. This could have disastrous effects that will cost lives, especially in developing countries. The majority of medicinal companies do not supply medicine to third world countries. This is because more profit can be made by selling it to the richer countries where we live. Most medicines received in third world countries are imported by concerned people and charity groups. If ACTA is to be approved, these medicines would be confiscated for "security" reasons (in order to maintain a monopoly). Should these people die because of our current inaction and unwillingness to act against ACTA?

6. If ACTA is implemented, privacy on the internet is no longer a given. Internet Service Providers will be forced to monitor what websites you visit and what you type, search and do. People have a basic right to privacy that this treaty clearly ignores. Are you willing to pay this price?

7. ACTA gives governments and ISP’s the right to block websites deemed “unsuitable” There are no clear guidelines as to what is deemed suitable or unsuitable. Do you honestly believe that this power will not be abused for political and economical gain. China has used the same excuse to censor the internet. Concurrently, China has far banned facebook.com, youtube.com and ********.com. Does this seem like national security?

8. This treaty will not prevent piracy. This is an ineffective and ridiculous agreement that will only harm the common people, not the pirated goods trade. Again, China is an example. Most websites and Peer to Peer networks are blocked. Yet China has one of the most rampant piracy industries in the world. Why? Because piracy will always find another medium. Only we will suffer.

We cannot sit by and watch this happen. The Internet is a tremendous source of genuine free speech where ideas and criticisms are not limited by the whims of other people. We must stop this now, before it passes. Before it's too late.

sources:

Anti-ACTA

Thepiratebay

Wikileaks (Known because of leaking content of American soldiers shooting helpless people in afganistan)

Note:

* Most of this post is directly copied from the sources listed above
* ACTA is deemed to be finalized near the end of this month
* ACTA may never be

-SCHiM

[Mouzie]

It'll never be passed, so don't worry.

[Tiresome]

That is complete bullshit.

Not unconstitutional at all or anything.

[Empire]

It would take sooo much effort, and some hacker would get through it anyway. Pointless.

[tdct]

I have an outside link to a program that refreshes the term "acta unconstitutional" over and over over, so that it's one of the top searches, and the more links you put to the site, the higher it will come up on the search results, because that's how Google works, they figured the more links to a site, the more important it must be, so the more links to it the better, I would post the link, but I need a mods approval, and if you say, they can't do it, your wrong, what you don't realize is slowly but surely more binds are being layed upon us, the generic flaw with people is they never notice something is changed until one day they wake up and think to themselves, "what happened?" No one realizes something is completely gone until they've lost it, do you realize in the united states their passing an unrepresented amount of laws with blatant disregard to the constitution? These egocentric politicians could care less about you, their charismatic smile is nothing more than a mask, but no matter what I say, what I type, what I do, nothing will change, all that I can do is sit back and watch the worlds liberties are slowly, but surely relinquished by the negligence of my fellow man.

That is complete bullshit.

Not unconstitutional at all or anything.

Charging any loyal citizen without fair trial is unconstitutional my all to naive friend.

[Czar]

I posted this when the draft was first leaked, I still have the pdf.

[jonnyboy9985]

The government better fuckin not implement this! I am in Canada, and I think if they DARE do this, I will rip them a new asshole! I will petition the shit outta these fags, because nothing was even VOTED on here! I heard nothing on the news, or anything! The. Internet. Is. Free. If that is stripped from us advanced users, then the frickin government better get ready for a bunch of bitchy Canadians! WE NEVER BACK DOWN! We may be looked upon as a bunch of pussies, but when it comes to shit with the net, we put up with NOTHING! The government better back the fuck down!

[Robert]

This is bullshit. Seriously?

[Empire]

This is about as likely as 2012 lulz.

[Illuminatus]

I cbf reading all that... Could someone tell me if its a good thing New Zealand's on that list of his?

[schim]

I cbf reading all that... Could someone tell me if its a good thing New Zealand's on that list of his?

No it's not a good thing

This is about as likely as 2012 lulz.

They've been discussing this since 2007 in secret, they already have the the us and europe are the main engine behind this treaty, and as likely to happen as 2012?

I don't think so, there are to many sources that state that this thing will be ready to run next month:

Fri Aug 20, 2010 8:55pm EDT

Negotiators from the United States, the European Union and nine other countries said on Friday they planned to finish work in September on a proposed pact to crack down on trade in counterfeit and pirated goods.

Money can doe everything, and as long as those stupid music industries keep complaining about how they lose millions (while they earn billions) our gouverments will keep adding more and more (unconstitutional, and unfair) laws, until the money is satisfied...

Not that that is always a bad thing, but ACTA goes to far

[[MPGH]Austin]

this is just failure.


will never happen.

[[MPGH]Doc]

Australia can't even pass legislation on child-pornography let alone sign up to this and carry it out.

[Illuminatus]

No it's not a good thing

Ahk. Thanks.

[schim]

this is just failure.


will never happen.

Dude, they are announcing next month, for something that'll never happen they're comming verry verry, verry close to do happen

Australia can't even pass legislation on child-pornography let alone sign up to this and carry it out.

Then you're lucky, but if you are wrong, are you willing to take the bet?

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