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EU About To Consider Stringent Anti-Sharing Law

Posted by timothy on from the nepotism-anyone dept.

chrestomanci writes " The Register have just posted a news item about the EU IP Rights Enforcement Bill. Theres is an editorial about the issue in PC Magazine. The bill if passed would give intellectual property holders draconian powers to enforce their IP against infringers. The powers available include sending rent-a-cops to private homes, seizing assets, freezing bank accounts, and confiscating and ISP's equipment on suspicion. Any of these powers could be used against a 12-year-old file sharer, as easily as against a large scale commercial piracy operation The bill has been proposed by the French MEP Janelly Fourtou, whose husband is the the head of Vivendi Universal. She has placed the bill on a 'First Reading' track that does not allow debate, and is normally reserved for bills with near unanimous support. The deadline for amendments is today. If you are a European citizen it is time to write to your Member of the European Parliament. The final vote will be between the 8th and 11th March." (We mentioned this a few weeks ago, too.)

5 of 76 comments (clear)

  1. OH MY GOD! by gazbo · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Any of these powers could be used against a 12-year-old file sharer

    Won't somebody please think of the children? This is exactly why we have exemptions in the law for children who murder and steal, as they should be protected. The little darlings.

  2. With a name like this... by MainframeKiller · · Score: 4, Funny

    The bill has been proposed by the French MEP Janelly Fourtou...

    BTW, Fourtou is translated in english as "fuck-all", I kid you not!

    --
    http://www.club977.com/ - The 80's Channel!
    Your source for commercial free 80's music!
  3. Re:The big advantage to the EU passing this law no by Earlybird · · Score: 4, Insightful
    acceptance of Internet is much slower than it is in the US.

    Ahem. Are you quite sure about that? And just to drive the point home: Are you quite sure about that?

    I am guessing you don't live in Europe. I am constantly amused by Americans who think Europe is this backwater continent which is not quite up to date with respect to the rest of the world. It may have been true 50 years old. It's no longer the case.

  4. War by ka9dgx · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Its rapidly coming to a head, the fact is the corporate interests have declared war on the public. We the people lost the US, and now they want to make it official, and worldwide.

    For the most blatent example, see the "free market" sell off of the assets of Iraq, completed before its people get a chance to react.

    --Mike--

  5. Re:Ummm, NO by a+whoabot · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You would actually get into a gunfight with police officers? I'm not saying you have a wrong stance, but, would you actually try to battle guys who you know would win? Maybe you could kill the two who had come originally, but after you've killed two cops is when they bring in the swat team and you're gonna die. It's cool to die by your principles, but would you?

    I guess maybe there is a very small chance that while your noble struggle goes on, your neighbours may see and just decide they want to help, and perhaps this could snowball and create a proletariat revolution, but I really don't think so. It's definitely better to get arrested, and then create a better strategy for the revolution.