Today it’s time to talk about the new threat to the Internet as we know. SOPA and its companion bill in the Senate are dead. Thank the gods for that. But a new international treaty deal is about become the law of universe. And you need to understand what that means.
The treaty is being strongly opposed by citizens of European nations as they fear it as Carte Blanche for governments to shut down whatever sites they deem to be infringing the copyright laws…without due process. And that is exactly what it is. For instance, it will take non commercial, non criminal file sharing and turn it into a criminal act. Normal people will become criminals.
Even the signing parties don't agree on the purpose, scope and nature of ACTA. This may be the scariest part. Part of the debate in the US is over President Obama's claim that ACTA is not a binding treaty, but rather a sole executive agreement that doesn't need Congressional approval. Many believe that this is unconstitutional, and Senator Ron Wyden has asked the President to explain what certainly appears to be a violation of the Constitution. However, over in Europe, they're insisting that it is a binding treaty.
The sad part is that it will force us to keep our outdated copyright laws…And it may be too late to get out of this very bad treaty. It looks like a done deal. JRC
Thought SOPA Was Bad? 10 Reasons to Oppose ACTA
If you haven't heard much about ACTA, don't be surprised. You see, you really weren't supposed to hear anything about ACTA until well after it was ratified and far too late for the rabble to do anything about it.
What Is ACTA And Why Is It A Problem?
First off, ACTA, unlike SOPA/PIPA, is not "a law." It's a trade agreement, in which a variety of countries agree to deal with intellectual property infringement in a similar fashion. But why was it kept a deep dark secret until someone uncovered and published it on the Net? President Obama says he will sign it...but does he have the right to? Treaties are ratified by the Senate.
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