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ACTA Internet Chapter Leaked — Bad For Everyone
roju writes "Cory Doctorow is reporting on a leaked copy of the 'internet enforcement' portion of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. He describes it as reading like a 'DMCA-plus' with provisions for third-party liability, digital locks, and 'a duty to technology firms to shut down infringement where they have "actual knowledge" that such is taking place.' For example, this could mean legal responsibility shifting to Apple for customers copying mp3s onto their iPods." Adds an anonymous reader, "Michael Geist points out that the leaks demonstrate that ACTA would create a Global DMCA and move toward a three-strikes-and-you're-out system. While the US has claimed that ACTA won't establish a mandatory three strikes system, it specifically uses three-strikes as its model."
..., but this treaty has changed my outlook.
Changing your mail client will not solve this problem.
Raisinettes are my raison d'etre
Dunno if you've figured this out yet, but our government uses doublespeak. Anti-terrorism IS terrorism.
One convenient locations...in Africa.
I try not to hate Americans, but when they start demanding that we abandon our laws and customs and adopt theirs I just loose it.
Yeah, because, you know, there are massive protests in American cities right now demanding that other countries adopt our laws and customs. There is a huge, 'write your politician,' campaign where we Americans are demanding that our politicians enforce draconian legislation on the rest of the world. Sheesh!
I understand you're pissed off but at least take the time to be pissed off at the right folk. It's not Americans that are the problem, it's American politicians. This is the same thing that I tried to explain to every local and world traveler that I met during my visit to New Zealand a week ago. The American People have, essentially, lost control of their government. We write our politicians. We attend local protests and meetings (and then get smeared as being extremist nutjobs). We talk to each other and try to explain to people in the streets the dangers of various legislative maneuvers going on in our government and what not. And, despite all that effort by Americans, our politicians continue to run down certain paths and roads that seem completely FUBARed and unfounded. Hell, every congressional candidate that I have talked to feels as if their sole duty is to give stuff to people asking for it (as in, group X wants new shiny object A, so that's the next best goal of that particular esteemed politician), rather than following a particular ideology (like, I don't know, the Constitution) to make decisions.
When it comes down to it, there is quite a lively faction of Americans that are just as pissed off at their government and the bullshit it has been spewing forth for the last umpteen years as you are. Unfortunately, trying to get any change effected in a government that represents millions of extraordinarily different people with extraordinarily different agendas is very near impossible. As such, those who have managed to slip their feet into the slippers of power, currently, are able to run amok and do, pretty much, whatever they damn well please, with the full weight of the American military at their disposal.
So please, I reiterate, if you are pissed off at Americans, then at least be rational enough to be pissed off at the right Americans (the politicians) and do not exclude those of us in this country who are trying to fight the same fight that you are. If it comes down to it, you might find us to be quite valuable allies.
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