Slashdot Mirror
Ambassador Claims ACTA Secrecy Necessary
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "According to Ambassador Ron Kirk, the head of US Trade Representatives, the secrecy around the ACTA copyright treaty is necessary because without that secrecy, people would be 'walking away from the table.' If you don't remember, that treaty is the one where leaks indicate that it may contain all sorts of provisions for online copyright enforcement, like a global DMCA with takedown and anti-circumvention restrictions, three-strikes laws to terminate offending internet connections, and copyright cops. FOIA requests for the treaty text have been rebuffed over alleged 'national security' concerns. One can only hope that what he has said is true and that sites like Wikileaks will help tear down the veil of secrecy behind which they're negotiating our future."
I'll be glad when we have a new president!
it must be INTERNATIONAL SECURITY then. Which obviously means that we have to coöperate to protect Earth from extraterrestrial threats. Intergalactic pirates trying to steal our music. Must be.
If I weren't a Scotsman, I wouldn't think that was about the funniest thing I've read today.
If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
When the FFII asked the EU Council of Ministers for opening up the documents regarding the ACTA negotiations, the Council refused, with (a.o.) the argument that this "might affect relations with the third parties concerned".
So the US can't release it because others might object, and the EU can't for the same reason. Inquiring minds want to know which mysterious third country is kicking both the US and the EU into submission. Canada?
Donate free food here
it must be INTERNATIONAL SECURITY then. Which obviously means that we have to coöperate to protect Earth from extraterrestrial threats. Intergalactic pirates trying to steal our music. Must be.
All your bass are belong to us?
I, for one, welcome our new pirate-friendly overlords. SERIOUSLY.
Ö(Ö/ö)are also close to both P and O on some scandinavian keyboards. Ä simple typö.
Ahh, yes. The somewhat lesser known, but still dangerous Balls of Damocles.
I can see it now..
"What am I guilty of?"
"We can not tell you because its secret.. but I can tell you this.. You owe someone 1.3 million per infringement and I am unable to tell you what your infringement was or who provided us with the proof and on top of that.. You can't see the proof all due to National Security reasons. Your going to have to take my word for it... Your screwed.. Calling a lawyer is futile."
Who needs WiFi when we can have Packet Over Sheep! http://datacomm.org/PoS-InternetDraft.txt
And like most classified material it actually means 'in the interest of protecting the people involved from political embarrassment'.
Do you have a citation to support this?
Well of course not - it's classified!
You are not a brain: http://books.google.com/books?id=2oV61CeDx-YC
Not sure I would go along with that. Like Linux, we would have two leaders. One would be thought of as a God though he continually denies that he is a deity. The other would be a wild, bearded guy who has some really good ideas and ideals, but they really seem to go a bit further than most people are comfortable with.