Concerns About ACTA In EU, Canada

Elektroschock writes "An EU document on the Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty was leaked. The main purpose of the trade agreement is to impose the European enforcement measures for IPR infringements on the US and emerging economies, widen the enforcement measures to include criminal sanctions for patent infringements, and introduce internet content filtering measures. Civil society groups such as the FFII criticize the ACTA process because negotiation documents are not made publicly available by the governments. The EU document ('fact sheet') from the EU Trade Commissioner explicitly mentions: 'Internet distribution and information technology — e.g. mechanisms available in EU E-commerce Directive of 2000, such as a definition of the responsibility of internet service providers regarding IP infringing content.'" And an anonymous reader adds Michael Geist's push for more transparency around ACTA negotiations in Canada.

Comments

In the US??

[bendodge]

Someone please remind me how they plan to force this on the US? It's bad enough that we have to kowtow to the UN's pipe dreams; now the EU wants to get its oar in? Enough is enough. The already UN wants to censor our internet and take away our guns, and now the EU wants to prosecute programmers as criminals for infringing on IP?

I'm becoming increasingly concerned that many 'election issues' are smokescreens to hide the real issues. This trend of relative morality and world government must be stopped. If we cannot protect basic human rights (including the right to live), keep our national sovereignty, and maintain personal responsibility for welfare, Western civilization is going to fall prey to this strange new breed of Islo-fascist Socialism we're seeing.

Personally, I think we as 'geeks' are far too wrapped up in our own little world of free software battles. I am making it my goal to do what I can to oppose socialism (especially our socialist education system, which is a root of the current problems) and get us out of the UN. Our precious free internet will cease to exist if the US Constitution goes out of operation.