Slashdot Mirror
Taiwan's IP Office Proposes Blocking Foreign Sites Infringing Copyright
New submitter thomas8166 writes "The Taiwanese Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) recently proposed draft legislation that would empower it to block foreign websites that it deems infringing. The proposal has been likened to SOPA, and has drawn heavy criticism from website operators such as Wikimedia Taiwan. The TIPO stresses that it will only target well-known infringing sites, but Taiwanese netizens are concerned that this power can potentially be abused for political purposes."
Any blocking for any particular purpose is fit for any other blocking purpose too. And so there is no reason at all, at all, to keep the "but only for this, we pinky-swear with a cherry on top!" promises, especially not to other pressure groups who see the blocking thing and want it, too. Such promises are just words, the blocking is the real thing, of course.
So we cannot afford to have any blocking at all. For any purpose. Not for "noble" causes and not for plain greed, like here. If you have one, the other kinds will be sure to follow. As they have done elsewhere already. This is not surprising unless you choose to believe that your cause is somehow more special than other people's causes. It is not. You're just human, and have no right to tell other humans what access they should or should not have.
This is one of the clearest cases yet where we absolutely have the technology but absolutely cannot afford to let anyone have it so they can lord it over the rest of us. For if we let one have it, we let everyone have it. Maybe not right away, but in time, in time. So nobody can have it, not ever.
The Chinese are worried about other people infringing their IP?
The SOPA deals with IPs especially from America
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
I'm guessing this is the same Taiwan that illegally cloned tons of video game hardware and software during the late 80s and early 90s.
Netizen? I've always despised that word. I can't be the only one.
Oh, and Taiwan respecting IP rights? Snicker.
just do it - you know they want to do it - so get on with it already!
And how much did that cost the riaa/mpaa?
Can't we kick these guys off the planet yet?
Bah. There is no "potentially" there at all, everyone knows it would come to that and it would come to that FAST. Just look at MAFIAA, the Finnish Teosto, the French equivalent who's name I can't remember and so on, take a look at how often companies file DMCA take-down requests even for items that are clear fair-use.. I mean, power almost always equal money and when money is involved basic human rights and common decency get to take the hike. At this rate I'm afraid the whole notion of "fair-use" will be completely eradicated during the next few decades and the ability to claim copyright to anything will be removed completely from any entity that isn't already an established multinational super-corporation.
You cannot put this kind of power into the hands of rulers and expect them to refrain from using it whenever and however it suits them. Just look at Australia, with censorship that rivals what we used to mock as "the great firewall of China"; their initiatives were begun under the guise of protecting children, and now the government has full control over what, when, and where grown adults consume information and media across the web.
I wait with bated breath for the Aussie government shills who will dispute this.
Ironic because Taiwan is arguably a provincial part of China. In which case the rogue province is moving toward similar practice to that of the Commie Motherland. The ROC is also arguably a sovereign nation. In which case excluding foreign websites might also include standing up to the wannabe Commie Motherland.
-- Jimtown Kelly
I wrote this comment in the title box I hate touch scr eens.?
Under no circumstanses ever filter my comments .I can't work commputer so i f you filter my comments I can't undo it please I beg you publish every thing I write all the time for eternity.regard wilfred satan