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."

Comments

Any blocking for any purpose

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Remember Famicom clones?

[_133MHz]

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.

Re:Remember Famicom clones?

[aevan]

It wasn't illegal. Signatories to IP agreements.

If I remember correctly, china wouldn't sign if they let taiwan sign, and taiwan didn't hold itself accountable for if china signed. If you wanted your IP protected in taiwan you had to do a release/production there (believe some Japanese artists and such would do a limited on just to get protection from companies like SonMay).

End result: it's only illegal if it is prohibited by law, and it (foreign IP) wasn't recognised there.

Netizen?

[bmk67]

Netizen? I've always despised that word. I can't be the only one.

Oh, and Taiwan respecting IP rights? Snicker.

Re:Netizen?

[hairyfeet]

The proper name for those who surf is Penelope, unless you have a penis longer than 5 inches or were born on a Tuesday and then its Frederick.

Oh and while i'm in a correcting mood, its not an information superhighway, its a giant series of tubes from which cats and porn blend to form a double rainbow, unless its the third Thursday of the month and its sunny in which case rule 34 applies and excess trollface is the order of the day.

Re:Wait, what?

[Rangelus]

While they may share a language, a cultural history and a long term relationship, Taiwan and China differ in society, politics, economy, technology, and general development. Aside from silly politics, they aren't remotely the same country.

Re:Just make everything illegal

[amiga3D]

You make a good point. The problem with making so much stuff illegal is that you water down the effectiveness of the law. When only a few things are illegal then laws are very important. When there is a law against every little thing then the law becomes a joke and everyone ignores it.

Re:Just make everything illegal

[wisnoskij]

I disagree, it become far more powerful.
With many laws you can prosecute and jail any undesirable you want, as we all break half a dozen laws everyday.