The reaction to revelations about the Internet provisions of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement continue. Notable articles include: Canada: Still-murky copyright treaty could change web as we use it New Zealand: New Zealand should not sign international piracy agreement Australia: ISPs Focus of Piracy Talks Australia: Fighting Piracy – three strikes […]
Cooperation in the Pacific Rim by Jakob Polacsek, World Economic Forum (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldeconomicforum/48179628441
Digital Trade
CBC’s As It Happens on ACTA
Earlier tonight I appeared on CBC's As It Happens to discuss ACTA. An MP3 version of the interview is available.
The Leaked ACTA Document
As the ACTA story begins to capture mainstream media attention (front page of the Ottawa Citizen, coverage from the Washington Post, NZ Herald, the Atlantic, Wired), the press release from the now-concluded Seoul talks should be released shortly [update: release out, exactly as predicted]. If the past releases are any […]
ACTA Negotiations, Day Three: Secret Talks on Transparency
The current round of ACTA negotiations wrap up later today in Seoul, Korea. Having spent the first day focused on the now-leaked Internet provisions and the second day on the leaked criminal provisions, negotiators will spend this morning discussing whether they should make the draft treaty public. Many countries continue […]
ACTA Negotiations, Day Two: What’s On Tap
As ACTA negotiators head into day two of the Seoul, Korea meetings, the global response to the Internet provisions in the chapter (the issue from day one) has been remarkable. Articles and postings from around the world (Germany, Italy, Sweden, UK, New Zealand, the Netherlands, U.S., Germany, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands), coverage from some of the most popular websites (Gizmodo, ReadWriteWeb, TorrentFreak, BoingBoing, Slashdot), as well as expert commentary (EFF, Electronic Frontier Australia) has been swift and universally concerned with ACTA.
According to the official agenda, in a few hours talks will continue on the Internet provisions and then move into the criminal provisions chapter. I discussed details of the Internet chapter yesterday, in a post that highlights the creation of a Global DMCA that would severely limit the ability for signatories to use the flexibility found in the WIPO Internet treaties. Moreover, the provisions would pave the way for a globalized three-strikes and you're out system, as ISP safe harbours would be premised on policies to terminate subscribers in appropriate circumstances.
It is worth highlighting the ongoing criminal provisions as well. As previously leaked, the U.S. and Japan supplied the initial text for this chapter. Their proposal included:
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