Negotiations are currently underway in Seoul, South Korea on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), and apparently the internet chapter of this copyright treaty has leaked. And what do you know: its details are enough to make any freedom-lovin’ American apoplectic with rage. Amongst the proposals are international provisions to ensure that ISPs follow “notice and takedown regimes,” that policies are put in place to “deter unauthorized storage and transmission of allegedly copyright infringing content” (according to EFF), and that ACTA signatories enable legal action to be taken against those who break technological protection measures (such as DRM).
In other words, this is about extending government control over the internet all within a global framework.
ACTA began in October 2007 and aims to introduce international standards to tackle counterfeit goods and pirated copyright protected works. As summarised by Boing Boing, ISPs would “have to proactively police copyright on user-contributed material” and “cut off the internet access of accused copyright infringers or face liability.” What's key here is that internet access could be denied and content blocked simply because an allegation is made. No evidence has to be produced to justify the claims. Is there anything more un-American?
The Obama administration purportedly refused to disclose the text of the treaty “due to ‘national security’ concerns.” HMPH!
