By A.M. Novoa
According to this "Raw Story" posting which can be found at http://rawstory.com/2009/11/global-treaty-three-strikes/ , there have been leaked details of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. The treaty is being negotiated in secret by most of the world’s largest economies. It suggest Internet file-sharers could be blocked from accessing the Internet if they are repeatedly accused of sharing copyrighted material, say media and digital-rights watchdogs.
If one member of a family is accused of copyright infringement, an entire family could be denied use of the internet. This is particularly disturbing as many people make their living via use of the internet and it serves as one of our largest and most effective means of communication. Web sites like YouTube and Flickr could possibly be shut down because of a provision in the treaty that would force them to monitor everything uploaded to the site for copyright violations.
According to the post, Gren Hinze of the Electronic Fronteir Foundation writes, "The US government appears to be pushing for Three Strikes to be part of the new global IP enforcement regime which ACTA is intended to create -– despite the fact that it has been categorically rejected by the European Parliament and by national policymakers in several ACTA negotiating countries, and has never been proposed by US legislators."
An additional detailed story by Cory Dockrow can be found at http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/03/secret-copyright-tre.html
To understand what this might mean to you, please view the following video:
There goes more freedom.
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