We're not in a hole. A lot of companies would like to be in our hole - Scott 'touch'n'feely' McNealy
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European Parliament gives the US a lesson on freedom
EUROCRATS who have been negotiating a secret treaty with the US that would trample on human rights to keep the music and film cartels happy have been sent a rocket by the European Parliament.
MEPs have voted in overwhelming numbers against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) that was being negotiated by EU Commissioners. By 633 votes in favour, 13 against, and with 16 abstentions, the MEP's also threatened to take them to the European Court for their trouble.
The secret treaty would turn Europe into an entertainment industries' dream region. ISPs would become police for the music and film industries and would have to switch off whoever they suspect of filesharing that infringes copyrights.
Europe would be forced to adopt laws like America's DMCA, which is currently being used by the media companies as a legal tool to stifle rivals, censor the press and suppress political dissent.
However MEPs were furious that such treaty negotiations that were going to sell out EU freedoms to the Big Media MAFIAA were being conducted in secret. They said that such negotiations were illegal under the Lisbon Treaty.
The Commissioners who have been involved with the negotiations claim that there is nothing to worry about and that there would be no loss of freedoms. However the MEPs were concerned about leaks of the draft documents which seemed to give far too much away to the American corporations for very little in return.
While France has seemed happy to surrender its revolutionary ideals so that its President could hob-nob with Hollywood stars on the French Rivera, other governments are furious that the EU Commissioners want to take away the power to tell the Americans to sod off and get a life.
Faced with such overwhelming opposition, the EU Commission will have to rethink its plans for the treaty.
It is deeply ironic that the Old World has now given the New World a lesson about democracy and freedom. It just goes to show that those middle class terrorists who revolted against their lawful King to create the so-called "land of the free" had no real interest in liberty and were only in it for the money. µ
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if hollywood made a decent film rather than the usual manipulative brainwash crap then i may be inclined to buy a dvd or 2
until then they can sit on it
that french president is just another one of uncle sam's biatches
they say 'bend over!' he says 'how low?'
You assume that those in the New World liked this treaty. Trust me, nobody over here is going to go tea partying. In fact, I'd guess most people who care will probably celebrate the fact that some politicans actually get it.
Aussies, you're up next.
against We The People Of The World.
My bet is this will turn out to be mere PR to buy time by making opposition think that it's not going forward, when it's near certain to. Catch on to the pattern.
By the way, Nick, this once I'll point out that gibes from British serfs have almost no effect on Americans who are all Sovereign Peers, and still disappointed in you after 234 years.
Didn't you guys just get an independent Supreme Court last October? I mean, you still have a hereditary monarch.
Don't you think it's just a little silly to be comparing "freedom" in Europe and the US when, in the case of the UK, when the people elect neither their Head of State nor their Head of Government. Perhaps you could learn a thing or two from the French about revolutions (low blow, I know)!
"Don't you think it's just a little silly to be comparing "freedom" in Europe and the US when, in the case of the UK, when the people elect neither their Head of State nor their Head of Government."
Yeah, you just take comfort in the fact that you have an elected head of state when you're next being cavity searched at an airport for any hidden USB sticks containing unauthorised MP3s.
Give me a benign monarchy over ACTA, DCMA, and PATRIOT any day.
There are plenty of things horribly wrong with Europe and the UK, but them rejecting ACTA (as the assault on freedom that it is) is not one of them.
"It just goes to show that those middle class terrorists who revolted against their lawful King to create the so-called "land of the free" had no real interest in liberty and were only in it for the money. ยต"
Oddly enough, several of the "upper class" founding fathers of the U.S.A. would likely (at best) have been considered smugglers... Much like the more recent Kennedy clan, whose patriarch made their fortune on illicit booze during prohibition.
(Possibly the finest example of what happens when legislation defies human nature)
For all the Ameritards banging on about the monarchy, all HMQ does is meet and greet, not wield the biggest amount of political clout in the nation. Even if someone got elected instead, it'd just be to wine and dine foreign toffs and to shake hands with random members of the public, not to declare war on other countries.
So, yes, consider yourself informed, Ameritards!
Considering that Geoge W.C. Bush was elected with LESS votes than Al Gore in 2002, you can't lecture anyone about democracy.
The head of government in England isn't directly elected, but he/she is elected by the people representatives, who has the trust of them, so that's quite acceptable. And since the PM can be put out of the office if needed, that's a virtue of parliamentarism. You don't get to be stuck with the same guy 4 years.
Now, what EP did is a truly remarkable act, it was a clear message that USA corporates interests won't hinder civil rights of the europeans (I'd say even human rights).
I've watched "Food Inc." documentary, and it shows what USA is becoming, a State where big corporations use the legal system to force people do what they want and to gag those who say anything against it. It isn't only in food industry.
So the ones with more money are "freer" than the rest.
I seem to remember that you US types have recently been complaining that your own Government and Executive have been ignoring both your laws and your constitution. Democracy - I don't think so. Don't presume to lecture us until you've sorted that out for yourselves. The European Parliament has rightly rejected the US led attempt to colonize our freedoms and privacy via the back door and in secret.
i thought this article was cleverly written. as an american i'd like to thank the European Parliament for defending freedom from the facists, whether they be political or corporate.
I can't believe you people are eating up Nick's disinformed article like a bunch of sheep eating poisoned hay. Europe *already* has their DMCA-equivalent Copyright Directive, which is, in some ways, *more* restrictive than the DMCA in the states. That was passed in 2001. However, the only "freedom" the EU parliament voted for is to go to the EU courts if the EC doesn't change a provision cutting off users from internet access if caught downloading copyrighted content.
That does not cover the other "bad stuff" ACTA contains, including: warrantless disclosure of user information by ISPs, warrantless border searches of devices for copyrighted material (like your iPods), extrajudicial surveillance, removal of the *protections* the DMCA and Copyright Directive grant to ISPs for liability, criminalization of copyright infringement and other draconian measures.
This vote by the EU parliament is nothing more than a feint to divert attention from the far worse parts of ACTA. It votes against an unpopular measure (cutting off kids from their internet) rather than blocking the real meat of the treaty. ACTA is still in negotiations, and will most likely be amended to comply with the EU parliament's request, but still contain all the other draconian measures.
Seriously people? Are you this naive? Do you really think the EU parliament has put an end to this treaty? Do you really think you don't *already* have a DMCA in another form? Get a clue!