Folks dirty deals are being discussed behind closed doors it seems by those who feel democracy is something that they wont have to worry about.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080604-secret-acta-treaty-may-include-filtering-provisions.htmlISP filtering of "pirated" material is a controversial measure that would be tough to push through a national legislature in the US, EU, Japan, Korea, or Canada, what with all those pesky "voters" with their concerns about privacy, fair use, and false positives. But sneaking the provision into a trade agreement? Much easier.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has been negotiated in secret by trade negotiators from rich countries around the globe. Bring on the filters
ACTA negotiators are meeting in Geneva this week to hash out more details of the proposed deal, but their work is already generating furious online opposition from people like Patry, who thunders, "The attitude of USTR [United States Trade Representative] toward copyright is a blinkered, one-sided view that copyright is good and therefore as much of it as possible is even better."
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab Critics are blasting the secret nature of the proceedings, which they see as a way to negotiate and sign a "trade" deal which will then be presented to national legislatures as something already done.
Patry agrees that "we do not want our trade representatives to negotiate on their own agreements that require changes in domestic copyright laws and then present the agreement after signature to the legislature as a fait d'accompli."
Because of the secrecy, though, it's hard even to criticize ACTA; no one yet knows what it might say. But if Patry's sources are correct, the agreement may go far beyond "fighting fakes" (as the USTR said last year) and could attempt to force new, tougher IP provisions on everyone who signs up.
Such a policy, negotiated at institutions like the World Trade Organization (WTO), would require more transparency and would be certain to raise more objections from countries and civil society groups. By forming its own club and including only select countries in the draft, ACTA can remain both secret and totally pro-copyright. That's a bad combination.
Well folks its nice to know what countrys paid-for-politicians are pushing this anti-democratic "agreement" on the rest of us, let us spread the word that this is not acceptable activity in a democratic culture, our liberty is not for sale, unlike a few politicians and their corrupt paymasters.
