Subject: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:02 am
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And thus, our true colours reveal. Since Obama was the young newcomer, technically savvy, many of us were hoping that he might support patent and/or copyright reform. In case our story earlier on this subject didn't already tip you off, this certainly will: Obama has sided squarely with the RIAA/MPAA lobby, and backs ACTA. No copyright and/or patent reform for you, American citizens!
Obama made the remarks in a speech at the Export-Import Bank's annual conference in Washington.
"We're going to aggressively protect our intellectual property," Obama said in his speech, "Our single greatest asset is the innovation and the ingenuity and creativity of the American people [...] It is essential to our prosperity and it will only become more so in this century. But it's only a competitive advantage if our companies know that someone else can't just steal that idea and duplicate it with cheaper inputs and labor."
"There's nothing wrong with other people using our technologies, we welcome it," Obama continued, "We just want to make sure that it's licensed and that American businesses are getting paid appropriately. That's why the [US Trade Representative] is using the full arsenal of tools available to crack down on practices that blatantly harm our businesses, and that includes negotiating proper protections and enforcing our existing agreements, and moving forward on new agreements, including the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement."
It seems that the RIAA, MPAA, and similar organisations have been successful in lobbying the US administration into supporting their cause. This means that the US government will continue to (financially) support an industry that is simply outdated, and has failed to adapt to the changing market - which seems remarkably anti-capitalistic and anti-free market, even for a Democratic president.
Luckily for at least us Europeans, the European Parliament has already shot the ACTA agreement down in an overwhelming 633-to-13 vote, while also forcing total openness - something the US does not want. This means that despite Obama siding with the content providers, ACTA will most likely not come to fruition.
Sadly, all this also means that American consumers will continue to see their rights eroded, as corporations and content providers further gain influence within the government. This means that devices you buy will not actually be yours, that uploading a video of your daughter dancing to a song on the radio could cost you thousands of dollars in damages, and it will also most likely mean that three strikes laws will be enacted.
Good times.
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On Thursday, 26 European Union member states plus the EU will sign the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Although the treaty ostensibly deals with counterfeit physical goods, it includes provisions related to digital goods. The Treaty was negotiated in secret; it began during the Bush Administration and was finalized under the Obama Administration.
In October 2011, these eight countries signed: Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and the U.S. However, in the U.S., treaties must be ratified by the Senate. Obama claims that ACTA isn’t a treaty but is, instead, an “executive agreement” and thus does not require ratification.
Technologists have been vocal. ComputerWorld in the UK has been scathing.
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After days of protests and hacker attacks, Poland has signed the controversial ACTA copyright protection treaty. Opponents call it an assault on online freedom, since it demands that internet service providers police user activity.
Warsaw’s Ambasador to Tokyo Jadwiga Rodowicz-Czechowska signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement in Japan on Tuesday. The treaty aims to harmonize international copyright protection standards in a number of industries from pharmaceutics to fashion.
The agreement now has to be ratified by the parliament, which is unlikely to oppose it, reports RT’s Aleksey Yaroshevsky.
The news came amid mass protests in Poland, where tens of thousands of people took to the streets, while many more joined online action against ACTA. Some 15,000 activists marched in Krakow, 5,000 in Wroclaw, and several thousand in other Polish cities.
A number of websites, including that of Prime Minister Donald Tusk were attacked by hackers demanding that the country boycott the treaty. This however didn’t stop the authorities from proceeding with their plan.
The agreement, which has already been signed by the US, Australia, Canada, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea, has been criticized by human rights groups for the secrecy, in which it has been developed, and the potential for abuse it poses.
The deal has been compared to the SOPA/PIPA bills, which drew worldwide opposition and an internet strike, once the danger the posed became widely publicized. It the case of ACTA, the public remained mostly unaware of its nature, before the hacktivist group Anonymous spread the message.
The Anonymous group has sent out a stern warning, saying that it has very sensitive information about the Polish authorities and will publish it, unless the parliament decides to vote against ACTA.
"Polish government – we are more powerful than you. We have a lot of your files and personal information. We warn you to exercise caution," the statement published on pastebin.com says.
Under ACTA, internet service providers are virtually obliged to monitor all user activity for possible copyright violations. It also gives trademark owners and officers of the law great authority to violate privacy while investigating suspected infringements.
Apart from affecting internet use, the agreement puts great restrictions on other areas involving patents, like the production of generic drugs.
Rick Falkvinge, the founder of the Swedish Pirate Party, told RT that the ACTA copyright protection treaty is an “excellent example of abuse of power by the corporate industry.”
“This legislation about putting people in jail was negotiated by corporations and the lawmakers just got it in their lap,” he explained. “That is not how a democratic society should work, quite regardless of what this law says.”
Falkvinge believes that activists can influence lawmaking, and that the movement against SOPA and PIPA in the US once again proved that.
“Millions of people, literally millions contacted Congress and said ‘we don’t want this, this is not what we stand for,’” he said. “Congress heard them and realized that if they follow the corporations rather then the voters, then they’ll loose their jobs. And that is what changes policy in the end.”
ACTA is a classic example of politicians dodging the real issues, said Polish rights activist Katarzyna Szymielewicz to RT in an interview.
“Politicians avoid talking about reforming intellectual property law. Instead they choose to strengthen the enforcement measures.”
She then went on to say that a very unclear legal landscape and a widespread ignorance concerning intellectual property laws is what causes these violent reactions.
“If we see finally a complex deep reform of intellectual property law in the whole European Union and beyond we might see the problem of piracy come to an end.”
She concluded that the issue of intellectual property law could easily be solved by an overhaul of legislation, thus avoiding more enforcement laws.
Link
I admit it, none of us saw this coming. I knew about ACTA a long time ago, but the media didn't even give it enough thought, and now, here we are. ACTA is like SOPA and PIPA's older and more twisted brother. Proof is that it's reached several countries already, and now Obama has developed a thing for it. Though the bill is already slithering its way through government after government, it's not too late to sign a petition, contact your congressman, etc. If you want to show your hate to ACTA, and to Obama, shout out "F*** you, Obama! F*** you, ACTA!" full, uncensored, and capitalized. Try to make it look purdy too. If you would like to avoid strong language, do as I do.
Subject: Re: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:29 am
I'm sorry but it seems my undeveloped 12 year old mind cannot comprehend the full meaning of this. Does it mean ACTA is going to make internet providers intrude on our privacy and search for copyright infringements acts we have done on the internet?
If this doesn't shed some light, I don't know what will. Basically, what ACTA is doing is monitor people who are accused of dealing with copyright infringed data, and those who are not. It means that you'll have a nice fat officer look at all your album photos on your personal computer just to make sure you haven't downloaded anything illegal. Not just that, but if you come up with an idea, chances are you may be shot down and will have to pay a fine in order to protect that idea from being copied, even though it was yours to start with, some other dude with a pocket full of money might tip off the wrong attorney to sue you. Also, they plan on stopping trades for certain medicine and seeds that may be vital for other countries, since they are trying to fight against the drug market. Worst of it all, if your internet provider agrees to sign ACTA, you will not be notified of this, and before you know it, your private information and privacy will be unveiled. Watch out, Unknown, you could be monitored right now. As for me, I don't think this ACTA is going to be healthy for the novel I am writing.
I'm sorry but it seems my undeveloped 12 year old mind cannot comprehend the full meaning of this. Does it mean ACTA is going to make internet providers intrude on our privacy and search for copyright infringements acts we have done on the internet?
There are 2 main things
One, they have every right to invade your privacy under this law, without you having actually done anything wrong. You lose many, many, social rights with this. Your internet activity is all laid out for any interested authority to see, your very views filed, and that is not only restricted to authorities but also extended to copyright owners themselves. Then again the majority of the U.S. population has not yet understood what the anti-terrorism law has done to their rights, so that would be even harder to get. If your 12 year old mind cannot comprehend the value of privacy it will someday, hopefully.
Two, it is the same thing of holding hosts liable for the actions of their users. That means they are obliged to be severely policing any social interraction. The only way to do that successfully is completely controlled communication, since if you allow users to freely communicate and type whatever they want they can commit copyright infringment for which you can be held liable by law. Imo it will be hard to even keep forums like this, the time when you will no longer be able to freely communicate over the internet (to the point where you just won't be able to type in things or massive filters making you use only preset phrases etc.) in order to avoid the chance you may violate copyrights is not that far away really. Think of it like this. Since a stable system would desire a controlled internet and means of communication, in the case a site would allow free communication it would simply take a """"""random user"""""" to post a torrent link on it, while of course easily bypassing filters, and that being caught before the site was cleaned by its administration, to close down that site and go as far as to presecute its owners.
How do you call the government system where you are constantly afraid of being presecuted for what you might say again?
Subject: Re: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Sat Jan 28, 2012 8:16 am
I see now what ACTA would do to our internet if is passes. And Obama is in support of ACTA. So, when and who will be deciding if ACTA will take effect in the U.S?
Subject: Re: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Sat Jan 28, 2012 3:03 pm
Unknown wrote:
I see now what ACTA would do to our internet if is passes. And Obama is in support of ACTA. So, when and who will be deciding if ACTA will take effect in the U.S?
Unfortunately, Obama already signed it and is claiming he has the authority to make it pass on his own.
Frankly, this is bull crap and in America, it is unconstitutional meaning Americans are safe as this cannot take higher authority than our constitution. It would have to get amended. Which means American servers are technically safe from it as it cant legally touch the American people.
Subject: Re: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Sat Jan 28, 2012 8:21 pm
I'd hate to inform you once again that constitutions don't mean shit nowadays, as citizens are not willing to defend them. Let me put it this way, the law is anti-constitutional. The law passes. The law is applied. Who will do anything about it? You already have the anti-terrorism laws in there just fine and completely in effect, in what way is ACTA more anti-constitutional than that?
Subject: Re: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:55 am
Getting informed from Anonymous is fun!
Speaking of which, it's awesome how all bills in the U.S. are apparently refered to by simple and easy to remember catchy acronyms, implying an actual descriptive and valid name, made of, god forbid, actual words, is too much for the people's brains to handle. Good ol' toddler friendly america.
"Hmm, what is this...? Anti Counterffffffff- AAAAARGH, BIG WORDS, MY BRAIN BURNS, STOP IT!!!!!! Why do you have to bother me with how this country is governed, just drop some easy to remember acronyms every now and then so I can pretend I understand and a dual option multiple choice question every 5 years to randomly select a leader..." And then kimo's "I am a real american!" song plays
Subject: Re: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Mon Jan 30, 2012 4:38 am
Oh my God, who the hell DOESN'T care? Well, apparently my friends b*tchy mother, she said "it won't affect me, it's an American bill". She said the same thing about SOPA I don't get why America is trying to ruin other countries with itself. Seems pointless.
Subject: Re: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Mon Jan 30, 2012 4:59 am
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I have a question. Why medicines and pills?
I believe it's their so called "attempt" to stop or reduce imports and trades on illegal drugs on Marijuana and such. It's really stupid how all this stuff is going along swimmingly while the Judicial branch isn't doing anything about it. Or anyone else for that matter. If I remember correctly it's their job to get rid of any laws or regulations that are unconstitutional. And what ever happened to Checks and Balances? Where the branches make sure the others aren't doing anything retarded. Oh wait, it's happening right now == Anyways, society these days don't really care as long as they make a quick buck in the end.
Subject: Re: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:57 am
Darkmega500 wrote:
Quote :
I have a question. Why medicines and pills?
I believe it's their so called "attempt" to stop or reduce imports and trades on illegal drugs on Marijuana and such. It's really stupid how all this stuff is going along swimmingly while the Judicial branch isn't doing anything about it. Or anyone else for that matter. If I remember correctly it's their job to get rid of any laws or regulations that are unconstitutional. And what ever happened to Checks and Balances? Where the branches make sure the others aren't doing anything retarded. Oh wait, it's happening right now == Anyways, society these days don't really care as long as they make a quick buck in the end.
guys, this is about copyrights/patents. The medicine part of it is about patents.
F*ck. Since it's in Canada, my doctors can now kill me, and my internet provider can arrest me. I'm moving to Fiji.
Oh, and Al, for future reference, when someone doesn't get something, you give a quick, simple summary, not a large boring speech.
Oh, I forgot people around here are incapable of understanding words. Next time I'll bring it down to the average intelligence level here, so pretty much baby talk. As a side note, if I am being long winded it is because that is the way to get my point across at the time. If you don't like it don't read it.
btw, go ahead and give a quick, simple summary to someone about the reprocutions of a law without either being innaccurate, lying or seeming like you are attempting to manipulating them by oversimplifying. Oh, wait, many and big words, people's brains are going to fry again.
Subject: Re: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:15 am
While the majority might have given ACTA the nod, there are three large pieces that need to sign as well, before ACTA takes effect: The European Union, Mexico, and Switzerland. Chances are if they refuse, ACTA could take a serious hit, but I'm not sure myself. If ACTA does in fact pass, better start filling that computer of yours with 10 GB of po...pony art. (Kudos to anyone who gets my joke).
Subject: Re: ACTA - Advanced Corporative Tech Assholes Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:42 am
Beforehand, I will say this is double-posting and I'm sorry for that, but I'm afraid that it won't receive much attention if I just edit my previous post.
