Estonia Next In Line To Receive US 'Encouragement' To Adopt Harsher Anti-Piracy Laws - Polidicks

[release][img]http://cdn.techdirt.com/images/techdirt.png[/img] Numerous Wikileaks cables have highlighted the pressure that the US has brought to bear on several foreign governments behind closed doors in an attempt to get the latter to pass maximalist copyright laws. But it's worth noting that plenty of arm twisting takes place openly. Here, for example, is a letter (pdf) from the American Chamber of Commerce in Estonia addressed to the Minister of Justice, and the Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications of that country: [i]We find that the level of intellectual property protection in Estonia needs to be improved, both on the legislative and practical fronts. Estonian government should also focus more on investigating the commercial IPR infringements committed through the Internet, and not only breaches of law in relation with cyber terrorism. In addition, the government must follow the EU and national level debates that might have an impact on IPR legislative framework.[/i] In other words, Estonia really ought fall into line like the other countries. Because if it doesn't: [i]Insufficient IPR protection has a negative effect on the entire economic situation in Estonia. As long as the IPR holders cannot be sure that their rights are protected, the international groups are hesitant in having their R&D units in Estonia and it is likely that R&D projects are run in countries with more comprehensive IPR protection. Insufficient IPR protection can also be an obstacle for starting new production units in Estonia as the IPR holders feel that the risk of IPR infringement is too high in Estonia and therefore it is better to produce their products in countries where the IPR-s are better protected.[/i] Although the letter touches on trademarks and other areas, its central concern is copyright infringement, especially on the Internet. Its list of demands -- sorry, suggestions -- is depressingly familiar: stronger protection; more criminal prosecutions; intermediary liability for ISPs and website owners; and an "effective mechanism of damage compensation, without having to go through lengthy, complicated or costly procedures for achieving redress through the courts." However, as an excellent post on the Estonian Public Broadcasting site explains, the letter's underlying assumptions about lack of enforcement are simply wrong: [i]They claim, for instance, that there is poor intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement in Estonia. However, Estonia’s IPR laws and enforcement, at least in the commercial space, are quite adequate. Operations, including websites, that exist for commercial exploitation of unlicensed rights, are already illegal and get shut down. The operators can be imprisoned for up to three years.[/i] The article goes on to point out one of the likely casualties of any harsher approach to copyright enforcement in Estonia: [i]if suing for non-commercial infringement is allowed, sooner or later, the pubs, restaurants and hotels offering free WiFi will be receiving legal threats and fines because someone downloaded something via their connection. It will be simpler for businesses to close their free internet access points, rather than face the legal harassment and risk of huge crippling fines that could result from one of their clients downloading something illegally. When that happens, the Open Internet, an item of national pride in Estonia, will effectively be dead.[/i] That's an important point: copyright legislation does not exist in isolation, but can have serious knock-on effects on the digital life of a country -- in this case, jeopardizing Estonia's place in the vanguard of open wireless Internet coverage. Let's hope the Estonian ministers bear that in mind when their visitors from the US Embassy come calling.[/release] [url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120201/12153217626/estonia-next-line-to-receive-us-encouragement-to-adopt-harsher-anti-piracy-laws.shtml]Source[/url] lol

The US is like some crazy, HIV ridden girl who wants to fuck everyone, and gets mad when she gets none.

Heh, could replace 'couragement' with 'forcement'.

At this point I want to move to the fucking moon.

No <:(

[QUOTE=ExplodingGuy;34511042]The US is like some crazy, HIV ridden girl who wants to fuck everyone, and gets mad when she gets none.[/QUOTE]Then she goes to her room and stares at her Edward Cullen poster all day long. Seriously America, stay the fuck out of everyone's business!

The world needs to send this video to America: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hf-B9Tqkss[/media]

hopefully estonia wont bend over

OH NO THEY DIDN'T!

I liked US better when they were a Isolationist state.

[QUOTE=Radley;34511476]I liked US better when they were a Isolationist state.[/QUOTE] Cause WWII would have worked out real well if we did. But seriously, the US doesnt have to do bullshit like this. Our own people dont even want it, why would they try to push it on other countries?

FUCK OFF, AMERICA. caps

We say this every thread, but, we are REALLY SORRY about this shit.

[QUOTE=person11;34511546]We say this every thread, but, we are REALLY SORRY about this shit.[/QUOTE] for fucks sake do something about your shitty government.

America. Fuck yeah.

fuck off you aren't the world internet police like you think you are

Why is the U.S using such archaic ways of fighting piracy. There are a lot of easier ways to combat piracy.

[QUOTE=Source;34511568]for fucks sake do something about your shitty government.[/QUOTE] Unfortunately I cant do anything about assholes in congress (who are surely to blame for this). I can press my senators and reps. Does nothing to stop Lamar Smith and his ilk.

[QUOTE=Source;34511568]for fucks sake do something about your shitty government.[/QUOTE] Open to suggestions so give us some that everyone can agree on and by everyone I mean everyone in all 50 states who votes.

Do a coup d'etat.

We need to kick out all of our shitty leaders, but no one will do anything other than yelling and holding signs.

[QUOTE=N-12_Aden;34511499]Cause WWII would have worked out real well if we did. But seriously, the US doesnt have to do bullshit like this. Our own people dont even want it, why would they try to push it on other countries?[/QUOTE] You can blame it on Russia but not on ww1 or 2. The cold war made the US world police.

[QUOTE=SpaceGhost;34511706]We need to kick out all of our shitty leaders, but no one will do anything other than yelling and holding signs.[/QUOTE] Well, what else is there to do?

[QUOTE=Red scout?;34511834]Well, what else is there to do?[/QUOTE] DDOS government websites and pretend that you are accomplishing something.

[QUOTE=sami-elite;34511712]You can blame it on Russia but not on ww1 or 2. The cold war made the US world police.[/QUOTE] That was in response to the claim that isolationist America was better. I know that the Cold War was responsible for our current unrealistic World Police scheme.

[QUOTE=Itachi_Crow;34511589]fuck off you aren't the world internet police like you think you are[/QUOTE] if it wasn't for america there would be no internet no one could have ever invented it america rocks we are protecting you from yourselves i hope estonia gets these laws the internet is a dangerous place and it is corrupting youth and turning them into communist terrorists thank you america for saving the intire world through net neutrality america 2012 :flag:

[QUOTE=Source;34511568]for fucks sake do something about your shitty government.[/QUOTE] Murder them.

WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111one If this happens I'm moving to china.

Fuck off America [editline]2nd February 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=raviool;34511229]hopefully estonia wont bend over[/QUOTE] I sure fucking hope so.

I don't understand why the US government tries to force anti-piracy so much. Maybe there wouldn't be that much piracy if you wouldn't keep using terrible methods.