Reading the Fine Print on the Cybercrime Treaty

Anonymous Coward writes: "Mike Godwin, Former Counsel to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and author of Cyber Rights writes about a new international treaty on cybercrime known as the "Convention on Cybercrime." The Council of Europe, a 43-nation public body created to promote democracy and the rule of law, is nominally drafting the treaty. The primary architect is the United States Department of Justice which is using a foreign forum to create an international law-enforcement regime that favors the interests of the feds over those of ordinary citizens and businesses."

Comments

This is giving me chills...

[Kasreyn]

Flashbacks to "Animal Farm"...

Kasreyn turns to Benjamin the Goat...

"Benjamin, my eyes are failing. Can you read to me what the First Commandment says?"

The old donkey sighed, then squinted at the side of the old barn... Finally, he spoke.

"Every animal is allowed freedom of his thoughts and ideals, as long as they are not expressed in a way that would offend others."

Kasreyn sighed. "I could have sworn it used to say something about freedom of speech... didn't you? Well, I guess it doesn't really matter - Comrade Napoleon is always right."

Does this strike anyone else as VERY FUCKING SCARY? This is the fucking U.N. charter, and it doesn't include freedom of speech, but everyone just *assumes* it does.

It really does feel to me like the part from the middle of Animal Farm, where the pigs were surreptitiously rewriting the Commandments, with no one the wiser. Finally they were able to abuse the other animals terribly, all the while claiming it was merely their virtuous prerogative under the laws.

I think Orwell's little attempt at humor or consolation, in calling it a "Fairy Tale", was misguided, even in as bleak a pessimist as he.

-Kasreyn