UN Broadcasting Treaty May Restrict Speech

ashshy writes "A UN treaty under proposal could lead to unprecedented restrictions on free speech and fair use rights around the world. Ars Technica pulls together what you need to know from multiple sources." From the article: "The proposed broadcasting treaty would create entirely new global rights for broadcasting companies who have neither created nor own the programming. What's even more alarming is the proposal from the United States that the treaty regulate the Internet transmission of audio and video entertainment. It is dangerous and inappropriate for an unelected international treaty body to undertake the task of creating entirely new rights, which currently exist in no national law, such as webcasting rights and anti-circumvention laws related to broadcasting."

Comments

Read the fine print

[Opportunist]

The US proposed this as an UN treaty. It's not yet signed.

Actually everyone (well, every nation that's a member and has the right to, but let's ignore the details for now) can make a proposal. China could propose to have everyone shot that dares to speak up against the ruling bodies of the nations.

What's scary is, it might even get a majority... but let's ignore that detail too.

In fact, if you want to get irate, at least pick the right target. It's not the "UN" who proposed it, it's the US. Or, rather, its leaders.

And I find it quite amusing, in a grim way, that the US government turns to the UN to push through their copywrong internationally. Whenever it goes against their ways, the UN is brushed aside, but suddenly it becomes interesting again.

Face it. The UN is a tool to some countries. No wonder pretty much everyone ignores it.

Did anybody RTFA?

[Anonymous Coward]

I've scanned all the visible, non-threaded comments and none (including the /. blurb) mention what is most troubling to me:

broadcasters such as cable companies, radio stations, and Webcasting operators would essentially take over the rights to control material broadcast over the Internet, to the point where the original content creator would have to "beg permission from broadcasting companies in order to make any use of their own performances."

(emphasis mine)

If you think this is unlikely, remember that if you make up a song and sing it without writing it down or recording it, you have no US rights to that song.

And should you make a major label record, the label owns the copyright to the song you wrote and performed!

AFIAC, both major US political parties are my enemies. I intend to protest by splitting my vote amongst any third parties on the ballot this November. Clearly, my government, as well, it seems, as every other government are in the multinational corporations' back pockets.

Is it going to take an armed revolution to get our countries, our world, back? My country's declaration of independance starts with "We, the People." We, the people aren't being represented at all any more.

Fucking slashdot, I was already in a bad mood today >=(