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US Calls Switzerland An Internet Piracy Haven (torrentfreak.com)

Posted by msmash on from the affinity-for-piracy dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The Office of the United States Trade Representative has published its annual Special 301 Report calling out other nations for failing to live up to U.S. IP enforcement standards. This year European ally Switzerland has been placed on the Watch List for protecting file-sharers and playing host to many pirate sites. "Generally speaking, Switzerland broadly provides high-levels of IPR protection and enforcement in its territory. Switzerland makes important contributions to promoting such protection and enforcement internationally, including in bilateral and multilateral contexts, which are welcomed by the United States," the USTR writes in its assessment.

10 of 119 comments (clear)

  1. What... by EmeraldBot · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What, because they refused to bow down and enforce the US's laws in their territory? That's worthy of being placed on an international watchlist now - at the same level as Russia and China, no less?

    --
    "Set a man a fire, he'll be warm for the rest of the night. Set a man afire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
    1. Re:What... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The world in general needs to grow a pair and tell the corporate-owned-US-government to go fuck itself to death.

    2. Re:What... by houstonbofh · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The world in general needs to grow a pair and tell the corporate-owned-US-government to go fuck itself to death.

      So do US voters. And I think they are finally trying. It may not work this cycle, but when change still fails it will piss off a LOT of people.

    3. Re: What... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      There definitely needs to be a balance between personal rights and corporate rights.

      Why?

      What is the reason you think corporations should have any rights at all? Is it not sufficient that the persons involved have their rights.
      Why do corporations need extra rights on top of that?

    4. Re: What... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      the balance should be 100% personal rights and 0% corporate rights. corporations are made of people, they are not people there fore they deserve no rights. if people have all the rights then no corporation would survive that doesn't support the people.

      when people say corporate rights, they mean a different set of rules for the people who own/run the business. Understand what you are saying when you say corporations need rights because they don't! every person should have the same rights, from the janitor to the investor.

  2. Government or the people? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The title is misleading. "US calls "Switzerland..." implies "US population calls Swiss population...", which we all know didn't happen. The correct title of this article is "US government calls Swiss government..."

    That is, unless you actually believe in the fairy tale that government and the people are one and the same.

    1. Re:Government or the people? by houstonbofh · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Or, Hollywood insiders tell bought and paid for US government spokes people to call Switzerland...

  3. Re:Is this something good or bad for switzerland by houstonbofh · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Depends on who you are. Personal rights always look bad to people in control. Just ask China. They call the US a heaven for improper speech.

  4. Hey US mind your own business by greatpatton · · Score: 4, Insightful

    People in Switzerland start to be really annoyed by the US behavior. More and more people now consider the US as a big bully. No surprise that more and more people even in Switzerland start to see Russia and China as valid partners (Switzerland even signed a free trade agreement with China). A quick example, the US forced Switzerland to automatically provide information on bank account but at the same is refusing to do the same. Regarding IP laws, any change will be fought by the people and it is certain that it will trigger a referendum. I think that the US will keep Switzerland on their black list for a very long time. Now it is no more a question of IP laws, it is a matter to oppose direct change of Swiss laws by a country that is less and less see a valid ally.

  5. US laws are the problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The whole ideology of 'intellectual property' proposed by the Americans is unwelcome in Europe. The Americans need to understand that we do not share their greedy 'IP' maximalist agenda, and that we don't want it here. We should place the United States on a corporate totalitarianism watch list, and tell their corporate rulers where to stick their backward laws. I'd like to see patents abolished, and the reach and term of copyright significantly reduced. I hope more forward thinking countries like China will not pander to US blackmail and bullying.