[quote=IT World]After 11 rounds of international negotiations, the final text of the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has overcome its biggest hurdle yet when it was welcomed as a step in the right direction by the European Parliament, which voted 331-294, with 11 members abstaining, to approve the measure.
Although the Parliament has called for some reassurances from the European Commission, the vote means that in principle the final legal text can now be agreed to by the Commission at a meeting in Sydney from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3. Under the Lisbon Treaty, Members of the European Parliament were required to give their consent to the measure and there were fears right up until the vote that they might halt the deal altogether.
The relatively high vote against represents the MEPs who were angry at being kept in the dark for much of the negotiating period. However, many MEPs were appeased when transparency improved following their complaints.
But Parliament nonetheless called on the European Commission to confirm that it will have no impact on basic freedoms and existing European Union legislation, particularly as "E.U. law is already considerably more advanced than the current international standards."
The ACTA agreement has been mired in controversy from the beginning due to secrecy imposed by the U.S. and to worries that it may not uphold E.U. data privacy rules. The deal seeks to enforce intellectual property rights and combat online piracy and illegal software.
The most controversial paragraph in the final text leaves the door open for countries to introduce the so-called three-strikes rule. This would cut Internet users off if they download copyright material as national authorities would be able to order ISPs to disclose personal information about customers.
The text has been somewhat watered down from the original wording, which said that parties "shall" provide laws to demand information from ISPs. But sources close to the negotiations said that ACTA can be seen as suggesting "what is considered best practice," which may be interpreted as encouraging countries to introduce draconian measures such as the so-called three-strikes rule.
The proposed agreement would also place sanctions against any device or software that is marketed as a means of circumventing access controls such as encryption or scrambling that are designed to prevent copying. It also requires legal measures against knowingly using such technology.
Concerned MEPs had warned they would not give the agreement their approval if they didn't have enough time to read the text. The final text of the ACTA agreement was only published by the U.S. State Department on Nov. 15.
The agreement as it stands would not require any change in E.U. legislation, but could have an impact on other parties whose laws on intellectual property are less well defined.
The countries involved in the negotiations are Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Mexico, the U.S. and the E.U. Critics question the effectiveness of an agreement that does not include China, the source of almost 65 percent of all cases of counterfeit goods seized by E.U. customs in 2009.[/quote]
Nice.
[url=http://www.itworld.com/legal/128754/eu-parliament-approves-once-secret-acta-copyright-treaty]Hey, it can't be [i]that[/i] bad[/url]
I think I speak for a large portion of us when I say, "oh god."
Oh, I remember this. :frown:
What ever happened to this stuff being forgotten and declined?
So... does this affect the United States? I can't tell.
This is so wrong
What does this actually mean for people travelling between countries?
I'm gonna rape myself from the sheer agony.
I really doubt it does anything that bad
If ANYONE can find me at least 3 reasons why I should fear this, and give SOURCES for each one (could all be one source) then...good job.
what the [B]fuck[/B]
[QUOTE=Coffee;26275053]What does this actually mean for people travelling between countries?[/QUOTE]
takes a shit on your privacy basically. ACTA wasn't supposed to be seen by the public either. the US said it was a "risk on national security". They like that line, ACTA, WikiLeaks, etc. But it is a hit to national security because they don't want a bunch of pissed off people start shooting people, I don't know.
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Counterfeiting_Trade_Agreement]Wikipedia Article on ACTA[/url]
What exactly does it do? Also, I've never heard of ITworld before. :frog:
[QUOTE=R3mix;26274972]So... does this affect the United States? I can't tell.[/QUOTE]
Only the EU has passed it. ACTA is a trade agreement that is from the US Government.
[editline]Break for a fucking retard[/editline]
[QUOTE=Strongbad;26275135]What exactly does it do? Also, I've never heard of ITworld before. :frog:[/QUOTE]
You either:
1) Don't work in IT
2) Know of many IT News resources, let alone reliable ones
3) All of the above.
ITWorld is pretty dependable and reliable. They never have let me down.
man for fuck's sake, just when I thought this week was bad enough with NK going apeshit :|
[QUOTE=Richard Simmons;26275125]takes a shit on your privacy basically. ACTA wasn't supposed to be seen by the public either. the US said it was a "risk on national security". They like that line, ACTA, WikiLeaks, etc. But it is a hit to national security because they don't want a bunch of pissed off people start shooting people, I don't know.
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Counterfeiting_Trade_Agreement]Wikipedia Article on ACTA[/url][/QUOTE]
But for someone like myself who is unlikely to ever leave the country, am I to be concerned with ACTA?
God damnit, the world just keeps getting worse and worse.
I thought the EU decisively voted against this at some point? Fucking bullshit
bullshit
Somebody please to Brussels and kill everyone in the EU HQ
Weeeeelll, I guess I can count myself not-concerned, because I heavily doupt the finnish police is going to spend their limited time on arresting torrenters and whatnot when they have their hands full of a lot more bothersome things
[QUOTE=Tentacle;26274928]I think I speak for a large portion of us when I say, "oh god."[/QUOTE]
I think I speak for a large portion of us when I say, "FUCK SHIT NIGGER COCK ASS BITCH CUNT"
[QUOTE=Coffee;26275167]But for someone like myself who is unlikely to ever leave the country, am I to be concerned with ACTA?[/QUOTE]
Initially, it may not be too bad. But from what I understand, its the beginning stages to an international organization such as WTO, or WIPO.
It'll lay down foundation walls, and slowly creep to be more invasive is what some are predicting. Earlier drafts allowed them to search your harddrive without warrant (in the US), and violate several privacy laws.
The European Union pushed it off because it went against their data privacy laws. However, the latest draft that was only signed a few days ago, probably resolved what was tying up the EU.
This can just be the beginning stages to a very dangerous situation. Not saying I condone, or advocate piracy and other copyright infringements. I don't think the rest of the world should suffer because of a couple dollars of their profits.
I can be wrong.. but ACTA and COICA are going to be strong contenders on online privacy.
Here is the link to the [url=http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/trade-topics/intellectual-property/anti-counterfeiting/]European Union Anti-Counterfitting Trade Agreement[/url]
Yay! Now instead of stopping terrorism, the police can stop 12 year olds downloading virus filled MP3s! :buddy:
Can anybody explain what ACTA is exactly?
I remeber hearing about it but can't remeber what it's all about.
[QUOTE=madmanmad;26275430]Can anybody explain what ACTA is exactly?
I remeber hearing about it but can't remeber what it's all about.[/QUOTE]
Why did you rate me a dumb if you're seeking the same information
[QUOTE=madmanmad;26275430]Can anybody explain what ACTA is exactly?
I remeber hearing about it but can't remeber what it's all about.[/QUOTE]
[quote] The most controversial paragraph in the final text leaves the door open for countries to introduce the so-called three-strikes rule. This would cut Internet users off if they download copyright material as national authorities would be able to order ISPs to disclose personal information about customers.[/quote]
That should handle you a good life time of information! :keke:
Yay! Norway isn't in the EU!
Who is backing ACTA though? I know corporations, but which ones?
[QUOTE=madmanmad;26275430]Can anybody explain what ACTA is exactly?
I remeber hearing about it but can't remeber what it's all about.[/QUOTE]
Try to find the leaked final draft (15/11/10). the US won't give it up, even with FOIA. Just like Bush, Obama is a fucking shit head prick.
the EU has released a version, however it is dated to the last known "large" leak of the document.
Not surprising, the EU never does anything good. Always meddling in other nations private affairs and fucking countries over. Most stupid shit ever..
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