Anonymous goes after Europes SOPA

[cookyy2k]

The other worrying things about this bill is the right of border officials to search, without warrant or even reasonable suspicion your mp3 player, laptop or other electronic devise for pirated music/software etc. and if some is found give you a fine and confiscate the electronic devise. That is just stupid, it's a massive invasion of privacy and a hold up too.

The powers that be are saying this is a clause to make enforcement easier but will never really be practised as they have better things to do, but the fact it is in there and can be used is worrying.

The deal would create a international regulator that could turn border guards and other public security personnel into copyright police. The security officials would be charged with checking laptops, iPods and even cellular phones for content that "infringes" on copyright laws, such as ripped CDs and movies.

The guards would also be responsible for determining what is infringing content and what is not.

The agreement proposes any content that may have been copied from a DVD or digital video recorder would be open for scrutiny by officials - even if the content was copied legally.

As for internet privacy issues

On top of these enforcement efforts, ACTA also proposes imposing new sanctions on Internet service providers. It would force them to hand over personal information pertaining to "claimed infringement" or "alleged infringers" - users who may be transmitting or sharing copyrighted content over the Internet.

Currently, rights holders must collect evidence to prove someone is sharing copyrighted material over the Internet. That evidence is then presented to a judge who issues a court order telling the Internet service provider to identify the customer.

 

[razer17]

Poland I think is against it, that's all i really know about the situation. I'm sure a few other countries are but I haven't read into it much. I doubt this'll be passed.

Poland and Sweden apparently are both very against it.

The people of Poland and Sweden are against it. The governments have already signed it though.

 

[razer17]

The other worrying things about this bill is the right of border officials to search, without warrant or even reasonable suspicion your mp3 player, laptop or other electronic devise for pirated music/software etc. and if some is found give you a fine and confiscate the electronic devise. That is just stupid, it's a massive invasion of privacy and a hold up too.

The powers that be are saying this is a clause to make enforcement easier but will never really be practised as they have better things to do, but the fact it is in there and can be used is worrying.

The deal would create a international regulator that could turn border guards and other public security personnel into copyright police. The security officials would be charged with checking laptops, iPods and even cellular phones for content that "infringes" on copyright laws, such as ripped CDs and movies.

The guards would also be responsible for determining what is infringing content and what is not.

The agreement proposes any content that may have been copied from a DVD or digital video recorder would be open for scrutiny by officials - even if the content was copied legally.

Actually, the agreement states that parties (I.E the countries signing the treaty) non-commercial travellers luggage. And to search international mail, a copyright holder has to provide actionable reasons to search it, randomly searching packages would cost too much anyway.

Also, we have to remember ACTA isn't a law as such. It is a treaty which suggests a framework for individual countries, so what you need to watch is when your country writes up new legislation.

 

[cookyy2k]

Where in the link does it say the EU is voting in June? All I can tell is 22 member states of the EU have already signed including the UK, France, Spain, Italy...

After 22 European Union member states signed ACTA yesterday

Yeah doubt we're stopping this thing, even if the EU doesn't sign most member states have independently. It doesn't require everyone to sign to come into force, let's just hope it isn't used to bring about oppressive legislation.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Guys, it's not the end of the world (or internet), it's just setting the mould for future laws to be put into place to combat piracy, which I am happy about. But I do hope they don't screw that up by implementing something like SOPA.

Hopefully, people will see sense, though from a historical perspective people seeing sense is about as likely as people having tolerance for other peoples religious beliefs.

Amen.

Spoiler: See what I did there

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

ACTA is not legally binding. It is an agreement between multiple nations to make laws to fight piracy. It has no real effect on the world and never will. So there is no way in the world that it is "worse than SOPA" as so many people have already said. Fight the laws that suck people, not the ideals or intent behind them, especially when that intent is fundamentally good (stopping piracy).

 

[CaptainCliche]

ACTA aint "europes SOPA" its a whole metric fucktonne worse. And I am ashamed of my country for participating in that bullshit. Wish we could publically execute the bastard who disgraced my country by signing it.

Oh for fuck sake. READ! before you spout your fear mongering bullshit.

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/trade-topics/intellectual-property/anti-counterfeiting/

Thank me later.

 

[Arakasi]

ACTA aint "europes SOPA" its a whole metric fucktonne worse. And I am ashamed of my country for participating in that bullshit. Wish we could publically execute the bastard who disgraced my country by signing it.

Oh for fuck sake. READ! before you spout your fear mongering bullshit.

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/trade-topics/intellectual-property/anti-counterfeiting/

Thank me later.

Funnily enough that raises more questions then it answers.
It's deliberatley vague.

 

[CaptainCliche]

ACTA aint "europes SOPA" its a whole metric fucktonne worse. And I am ashamed of my country for participating in that bullshit. Wish we could publically execute the bastard who disgraced my country by signing it.

Oh for fuck sake. READ! before you spout your fear mongering bullshit.

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/trade-topics/intellectual-property/anti-counterfeiting/

Thank me later.

Funnily enough that raises more questions then it answers.
It's deliberatley vague.

What is ACTA?

ACTA ensures people everywhere can continue to share non-pirated material and information on the web
ACTA does not restrict freedom of the internet. ACTA will not censor or shut down websites.

ACTA ensures that organised crime can be pursued when intellectual property is stolen - harming innovation, fair competition and destroying your jobs
ACTA is not about how we use the internet in our everyday lives.

ACTA allows people to continue using their social networks such as Twitter and Facebook just as they have in the past ? no change.
Computers, iPads or iPhones will not be checked or monitored ? ACTA is not Big Brother.

Why is ACTA not SOPA?

SOPA is a US draft law that would change US legislation. ACTA does not require any EU law changes. Anything you can do legally today is still legal after the ratification of ACTA.
ACTA does not foresee cutting off internet access to anyone.

So why does the EU support ACTA?

Because ACTA ensures the EU's already high standard of protection for intellectual property goes global - protecting jobs in Europe. Because Europe is losing ?8 billion annually through counterfeit goods flooding our market.

seems pretty straight forward to me.

All it says it that the laws already in place in Europe will become a global standard.

 

[WWmelb]

Let's calm down guys.

From Wikipedia:

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is a plurilateral agreement for the purpose of establishing international standards for intellectual property rights enforcement. The agreement aims to establish an international legal framework for targeting counterfeit goods,generic medicines and copyright infringement on the Internet, and would create a new governing body outside existing forums, such as the World Trade Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, or the United Nations.

ACTA by itself isn't going to do anything. It's just a legal framework that allows for anti-piracy laws to be put in place. We, the people, still have the ability to decide whether future proposed bills become actual law. It's not going to turn the internet into Censorship-ville.

The bold italic underline text is what really worries more than anything about this. Generic medicines are CRUCIAL to fighting disease particularly in 3rd world countries. This seems to be taking an active stance in ensuring that these countries do not have access to affordable medicines, while shoring up the profits of the major pharmaceutical players... that scares me more than hypothetical abilities to censor the interwebs...

 

[Talshere]

Well, Germany seems dead set against it and they have a veto vote. Also, traditionally, France vetos anything that America wants on principle...

 

[idarkphoenixi]

"Anonymous takes aim at SOPA" eh?

So basicly another DDOS attack...Sigh, anon is so lame sometimes. The site goes down for a day at most and then everyone forgets what happened the next day

 

[Astoria]

This whole ACTA/SOPA/PIPA thing has shown just how little power people have in their countries now. Even with all the opposition, ACTA got passed in the US. Even if these bills aren't as dangerous as they seem no doubt they are stepping stones for worse bills.

 

[liz5100]

All I see when this whole ACTA thing smacked me in the face after being vigilant about stopping SOPA/PIPA was that it was all meaningless. It's almost like, if I didn't know any better, they were distractions. It stings that after everything we're still just one more tool, that it was STILL a lie.

 

[Rule Britannia]

Good for anonymous I like it when they do things for good prime example being taking down child porn websites and giving out credentials of the subscribed users.

 

[Monkeyman O'Brien]

Oh for fuck sake. READ! before you spout your fear mongering bullshit.

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/trade-topics/intellectual-property/anti-counterfeiting/

Thank me later.

Yeah... I am so gonna trust the weak sauce assurances of the bastards trying to force this shit on us who discuss it all in secret.
Maybe you should read some credible sources before you spout your company line bullshit.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

*snip*

I am sorry for having faith in my legal system. What the fuck is this? How the fuck can they do this through executive agreement alone? This is some of the least constitutional bullshit I have ever heard of! GRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAHHH! It almost makes me wish we didn't even have a chief executive! The reason I was so certain this was meaningless was because I thought there was no way this could be done in the USA without congressional agreement, where it could never pass. Now I learn they are doing this through purely executive power. This is fucked up. I just cannot believe that this can be enforced without the support of some kind of legislative body, where any kind of bad bill would inevitably fail. I have been far too idealistic. I am now royally pissed.

 

[CaptainCliche]

Oh for fuck sake. READ! before you spout your fear mongering bullshit.

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/trade-topics/intellectual-property/anti-counterfeiting/

Thank me later.

Yeah... I am so gonna trust the weak sauce assurances of the bastards trying to force this shit on us who discuss it all in secret.
Maybe you should read some credible sources before you spout your company line bullshit.

There is no such thing as "credible" on the internet.

And what is so far fetched about a global piracy agreement? Why does it always have to be "the end of the internet" or "censorship"
this bill will mostly affect china and the middle east where piracy is rampant and the authorities barely attempt to tackle it.

This bill is flying under the radar for two reasons only.

Nothing in Europe or america will change and people will overreact and assume the
worst, as they always do.