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EU Strikes Down French "3 Strikes" Copyright Infringement Law

Posted by timothy on from the mon-dieu dept.

Erris writes "Opendotdotdot has good news about laws in the EU: 'EU culture ministers yesterday (20 November) rejected French proposals to curb online piracy through compulsory measures against free downloading ... [and instead pushed] for "a fair balance between the various fundamental rights" while fighting online piracy, first listing "the right to personal data protection," then "the freedom of information" and only lastly "the protection of intellectual property." [This] indicates that the culture ministers and their advisers are beginning to understand the dynamics of the Net, that throttling its use through crude instruments like the "three strikes and you're out" is exactly the wrong thing to do.'"

5 of 271 comments (clear)

  1. How do you get membership? by kramulous · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wish Australia was part of the EU. Perhaps this firewall business would disappear.

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  2. Re:Huh? by o'reor · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "Effective" does not mean that it's not crude. Thanks in part to the "3-strikes-you're-out" rule, The US has the highest prison population (in percentage) among developed countries. The latest figures indicate that more than 1 in 100 American men or women are in jail.

    That's 10 times more people in jail than Germany, for instance. Hell, it even leads Russia on that turf. So much for the "land of the free"...

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    In Soviet Russia, our new overlords are belong to all your base.
  3. Re:Huh? Heu???? some precisions by HuguesT · · Score: 4, Interesting

    At the moment there is a EU directive in place that is contrary to the French proposal. This is not stopping the French government from going ahead with their proposal though. It can still become French law within a few short months.

    Eventually it will be struck down through citizen's actions (suit to the European Court resulting in fines) or through a change of government. Governments can be very very stubborn.

    The only hope in France is to convince a majority of French representatives that this is a bad proposal before it is voted in.

  4. "3 Strikes" Law - revised by bestalexguy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "Anyone who surreptitiously installs a rootkit in anyone else's computers thrice shall be kicked out of business"

  5. Re:Huh? by drsquare · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Say we have a vastly more effective police force: That could account for it.
    Say we have stricter (draconian?) drug laws: That could account for it.
    Say we have slower due-process and the majority are merely pass-throughs

    Or, you just have more crime due to vast inequality caused by unfettered capitalism. But don't suggest that to Republican voters.