Consumer groups blast Obama's secret trade talks
Filed under: Media
Consumers groups have accused President Barack Obama of favoring a global trade agreement -- currently being negotiated in secret on national security grounds -- that would include harsh provisions similar to France's "three strikes" law, which cuts off internet access for repeated digital piracy. In a letter sent to Congress, the consumer groups expanded on previous concerns expressed by civil libertarians over the secrecy of the treaty -- the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) -- and lambasted the substance of the agreement.Not surprisingly, Rupert Murdoch, the powerful media mogul, expressed support for a three-strikes-like regime. "There's a lot of movement to get that put in America and become a world standard," Murdoch told Sky News, "because in the music industry today, it's very, very hard for young talent to get started and established."
The consumer groups, Knowledge Ecology International and Public Knowledge, told congressional leaders that the proposed agreement "implicates changes to international intellectual property norms far broader than its name suggests," incorporating elements of the World Trade Organization's Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) agreements.
"Rather than taking as their starting point the entire TRIPS agreement, it would seem that the ACTA negotiators have identified certain parts of the TRIPS agreement most favorable to particular groups of intellectual property holders, including certain publishers, media conglomerates, and pharmaceutical companies," the groups wrote. "Left out of the ACTA text are the elements most favorable to consumers, including those intended to curb anticompetitive practices, and to protect innovation."
"The result is an agreement that is therefore unbalanced. ACTA would appear to be an expanded version of the TRIPS enforcement sections, but without the balance and safeguards that have given TRIPS such legitimacy."
Three Strikes and You're Offline
Based on leaked meeting documents, it looks like the participating nations are developing measures that would make it easier for law enforcement officials to crack down on digital piracy -- including cutting off alleged offenders' Web connections. The treaty would also make it easier for authorities to search and seize your personal computer or other electronics in an effort to locate digital contraband. The treaty would provide some kind of "safe harbor" for Internet service providers, protecting them from prosecution if they comply with the treaty's measures to identify and sanction alleged Internet pirates.
The Obama administration has refused to discuss the treaty -- which could drastically impact American copyright law -- on national security grounds.
According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation -- a digital rights group -- ACTA would pave the way for an international three-strikes policy similar to that which just became law in France, "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 U.S. legislators."
Last month, France's constitutional court approved a so-called three-strikes law that would allow the jailing of convicted Internet pirates. Civil liberties and consumer groups have petitioned the White House for redress of grievances over ACTA, with little success. We'll see if Congress is more responsive.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 13)
11-10-2009 @ 10:40AM
Mike Zachaczewski said...
This will no way cut out all the wrong doing on the internet because people will always get around hurdles. However, it is a very good step in preventing many people.
Reply
11-11-2009 @ 9:19AM
John said...
This is another step in establishing one world order totalitarianism. Plotting legislation, again, that affects us all in secret, tells you a lot, from "the most transparent administration". More lies.
11-11-2009 @ 10:37AM
scott said...
I agree, but not to change the subject matter.
Has anyone seen the Ebay listing #300363783416
HIGH TIMES got caught on film getting heavily stoned in thier board room. It's what i always imagined went on up there. childhood fantasy dreams not to far off
11-11-2009 @ 1:08PM
James said...
Oh Bonnie, Bonnie, Bonnie. You are such an illiterate skank, honey. If Obama is the man you say he is, let him defend himself. Mindless, douche bag liberals like you jumped up and down, screaming obscenities at Bush for 8 years and think that was your right. Now a like situation develops for your guy and you defend him against each insult thrown. The shoe is now on the other foot, so get comfortable, my little skank. You have some medicine to take. By the way, where's all that H1N1 medicine? Go ask your boy why he's dropping that ball as well as people die.
11-12-2009 @ 2:50PM
Catmoves said...
"This will no way cut out all the wrong doing on the internet because people will always get around hurdles. However, it is a very good step in preventing many people."
Good. We've got too many people now.
11-10-2009 @ 12:33PM
counterrevolution said...
there's no doubt our little prince is a worthless communist . . . they always keep the people out of the loop on matters that effect their lives . . . it's how communism operates.
Reply
11-10-2009 @ 2:08PM
Nextyear44 said...
You have communists confused with authoritarians, which come in all political philosophies. If it were communist idea, there would be no ownership of ideas except public. Obama is no more a communist than any other President we've had. And coincidentally, Mr. Obama's authoritarianism pales in comparison to the authoritarian tendencies of Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and President Cheney.
11-11-2009 @ 8:29AM
mitch1 said...
nextyear. Obama is the biggest communist we have had. Only Lincoln, and FDR have come close. This is the stuff we know about, how much has he been keeping to himself. i bet he has already made financial arrangements after his first term is up. he is a snake. I pretty good one I may ad, but still a snake.
11-11-2009 @ 9:19AM
Bonnie said...
Just another angry loser! You see, as you "teabaggers" continue to boast how the constitution and declaration of independence is being violated by the GREATEST President this country has seen in decades, An American Citizen decided to take on his Muslim background and kill 13 innocent victims.......guess what??? He gets to have a "fair trial" because of the documents that are killing America! Ignorant protestors take to the streets, spewing garbage they know nothing about, similar to YOU! Get over your uneducated self and be respectful.
11-11-2009 @ 12:13PM
Duff said...
Oh yeah and Bush and Cheney were always above board with their negotiations! Get rreal!
11-10-2009 @ 1:20PM
MaryLou said...
We now know that voting Obama into office was a huge mistake. He certainly seems to be a commie or socialist. Now what do we do?
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11-11-2009 @ 8:39AM
TF said...
Better start by electing Republicans to the House next year to "gridlock" O-bla-bla's agenda.
11-11-2009 @ 11:33AM
Wayne said...
How long will we as a people let Obama ruin the USA? How far will we go in leting the people in the government take away our freedom ? What CAN or WILL we do to get the USA back to were "we the people, by the people and for the people" rule?
11-11-2009 @ 10:57AM
Paul Williams said...
First thing we have to do, MaryLou, is to get rid of Pelosi, Reid and the rest of those worthless a$$holes in DC in 2010. Getting rid of most of the liberals in Congress will help defeat King Barry in 2012. This is the most dangerous group in US History. I wonder how the idiots who voted for this commie president feel about their "hope and change."
11-11-2009 @ 11:18AM
BUTTON said...
NOW YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND QUIT SPREADING RUMORS!
11-11-2009 @ 1:33PM
elisha said...
Everyone should stop with the negativity... If McCain would of won everyone would be saying the same thing. Just like in everyones own lives no one is ever happy with anything. Stop with the negativity and let the man do his job.
11-11-2009 @ 1:11PM
Chase said...
Hey Paul Williams, I feel pretty good about my hope and change, so long as the republican leaders don't ruin it for us all.
@Wayne
Would you mind explaining how Obama has ruined the USA? What exactly has been taken away from us? Can you cite anything besides your own fears and paranoia?
11-11-2009 @ 1:14PM
James said...
Jesus Button, you and Bonnie should get together. Your Obama may not be the best or the brightest socialist, but God knows he's trying.
11-11-2009 @ 5:39PM
zg said...
To the obama haters:
McCain supported ACTA too. The entire thing was started under the Bush administration. Acting like things would be different if McCain had won instead of Obama is delusional.
This is about unchecked corporate powers. These people don't care about conservatism,liberalism, or any other ism you can come up with. They care about money, and they want to extract as much of it from as many people as they can with complete disregard to the means. That's it. No obama, no bush, it's bigger than that.
11-10-2009 @ 1:56PM
me said...
some one gave us a pres that is a piracy problem a fake ect
Reply