Antigua May Be Allowed To Violate US Copyrights

Skleed refers us to the NYTimes for an article on the high-stakes case the US is losing before the World Trade Organization. So far the US has lost an initial hearing and two appeals on its policies regarding Antiguan offshore gambling sites. Now the lawyer pressing the case has asked for a rarely invoked, but codified, recourse under WTO rules: letting Antiguans copy and distribute American music, movies, and software. The game may be to get Hollywood and Microsoft, et al., to pressure Washington to cut a deal. But their influence may not be sufficient to move lawmakers on the question of online gambling. From the article: "But not complying with the decision presents big problems of its own for Washington. That's because Mr. Mendel, who is claiming $3.4 billion in damages on behalf of Antigua, has asked the trade organization to grant a rare form of compensation if the American government refuses to accept the ruling: permission for Antiguans to violate intellectual property laws by allowing them to distribute copies of American music, movie and software products, among others."

Comments

A future windows update

[ILuvRamen]

So Microsoft puts out in a new service pack for XP and Vista with some unstoppable dug in processes that detects if you're on an antiguan IP address and shuts off your computer. No more internet equipped PCs running microsoft OS's for them. What's the big deal? No more windows for Antigua in general. Maybe that will teach them to try and steal stuff legally as if software makers would just put up with it.

Re:China

[Beyond_GoodandEvil]

I'd love to see China put some serious fiscal hurt on us, as we'd deserve every bit of it.
Instead of making assine statements on the internet, perhaps you would be better served ending your life, quickly and in a carbon neutral way.

Re:Allowed?

[Anonymous Coward]

The bullshit is gambling across the US telecommunications infrastructure has been illegal for oh 3 decades or so. For everyone. Once more people who really want to still can, wire transfer or foriegn money order to a bank outside of the US, problem solved. It's shit like this from the WTO that makes me think an age of american imperialism wouldn't be so bad. We should just make piracy of all non-american ships defacto legal in Antigua, and anywhere else that annoys us. Then sink all ships improperly flying US colors.

Re:Allofmp3 mark II is coming

[jedidiah]

No, this is more like the Opium Wars. Except this time the US is playing the part of China.

Re:Allowed?

[Anonymous Coward]

On the other hand, all those Al Queda terrorists that are using off-shore gambling in Antigua to launder their death money might provide the Whitehouse Junta plenty of ammo to freeze Antigua's assets that are in or pass through US banking.

You think that's all they'd do?

Fact: The island of Antigua has an area of 108 square miles. reference
Fact: The city of Hiroshima has an area of almost 350 square miles. reference
Fact: President Bush would like to use nuclear weapons, at least as "bunker-busters".

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

now i'm pissed

[XO]

Now, I'm pissed. I submitted this article on April 28th, and it has been PENDING on my submission list ever since. Today, this goes live, and I get no credit for it.

Good going, Slashdot.
APRIL FARKING 28TH