Poisonous Secret Agreement

THE ANTI-COUNTERFEITING TRADE AGREEMENT (ACTA) is a one of the ultimate secrets negotiated between nations. According to a memo summary written from an oral discussion by European and US officials, ACTA now covers internet contraband. The problem is that ACTA has been drafted to avoid any sort of oversight so that means corporate liability of social sites like Flickr and YouTube is being defined without industry consultation. The worst parts of the US Digital Millenium Copyright Act are being rolled into ACTA without inputs from politicians, elected officials or company spokespeople. ACTA is a Trade Agreement. it does not have to pass the US Senate. Because itis being negotiated at EU level, no Irish politician has had a glimpse of it, even though ACTA will be imposed on digital delivery services in Ireland. It is a sad day when the internet is defined and regulated by lobbyists and bureaucrats.

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Danny O'Brien -- "Secret agreement may have poisonous effect on the net," in The Irish Times, 13 Nov 09.

Sent mail2blog using O2-Ireland Typepad service while Foursquaring in Heuston Station.

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