Europe Rejects Plan To Criminalize File-Sharing

Lineker points out a report that the European Parliament has rejected plans to criminalize file-sharing by private individuals. The amendment to remove the anti-piracy measures passed by a vote of 314-297. The decision is expected to influence how France, with its strict anti-piracy polices, approaches this issue when it assumes the EU presidency later this year. From InfoWorld: "France's so-called Oliviennes strategy to combat copyright abuse includes a 'three strikes and you are out' approach: Offenders lose the right to an Internet account after being caught sharing copyright-protected music over the Internet for a third time. The report is significant because it 'signifies resistance among MEPs to measures currently being implemented in France to disconnect suspected illicit filesharers,' the Open Rights Group said in a statement.

Underground

[WarJolt]

Criminalizing file sharing will just drive it underground like the good old days. Whens the last time any of you sent files over IRC?

Plus, it would be almost impossible to enforce a ban. There are already ways to increase anonymity and it's hard to block that kind of traffic.

Outlawing file sharing is like...

[Pig Hogger]

Outlawing file sharing is like outlawing jaywalking. You can do it, but it certainly won't stop people from doing it. It may be enforced at first, but since people don't think it's shaking the very foundations of the Universe, they think nothing of doing it, everybody but a little bunch of anal jerks ends up doing it, and it's not enforced anymore.

Re:RIGHT?

[Anonymous Coward]

That's a hilarious comment on an American forum, since the US likes to pretend it singlehandedly won WWII, when in reality it was mostly the Russians who destroyed the German army, and the Brits who destroyed the Luftwaffe. The US army came in late and had to rush simply to get into Germany before Stalin took all of it for himself.

Re:Underground

[Aetuneo]

I'm not sure what your point is, but I download files from IRC bots all the time. It's the only way to get some subtitled anime, and it's almost always faster.

Who said?

[Anonymous Coward]

You just did, obviously.

But, I believe Lord Thurlow also said: "It has no body to kick and no soul to damn."

Re:RIGHT?

[Anonymous Coward]

Brits who destroyed the Luftwaffe.

That would be Commonwealth not just the brits. ;)

Re:RIGHT?

[B5_geek]

Not an urban legend.

Quebec has the most draconian laws of any communist country.

Sure you have freedom of speech, but it must be in French.

Take our most famous "English-rights' lawsuit taht a Canadian company took to the Quebec government.

Eaton's. (A very large upscale'ish Sears) Was forced to change their signs in Quebec from: "Eaton's" to "Eatons'"

All because the former was an 'English' sign.

Re:RIGHT?

[compro01]

well, technically we don't have "freedom of speech". freedom of speech is not mentioned anywhere in the charter of rights and freedoms.

Re:RIGHT?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's happened to me... however, I'm pretty sure it's just an EXCUSE to treat you like filth instead of a REASON. Generally, the Parisians who wish to treat you like crap will wait until an excuse presents itself. And you can tell which Parisians wish to treat you like crap, because they perceive themselves to have authority. The rest of the country seems to be fine but god help anyone not from Paris, who has to deal with a Police Officer or Security Guard in Paris...

Re:Underground

[darthdavid]

Actually rotary phones don't work anymore in a lot of circumstances. You need a touchtone phone to use any kind of voicemail system.

Freedom of expression

[bug1]

well, technically we don't have "freedom of speech". freedom of speech is not mentioned anywhere in the charter of rights and freedoms.

According to the UN Declaration of Human Rights, you do.

From the preamble
"Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,"

And from article 19.
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html [un.org]

Re:I have to ask

[RAMMS+EIN]

Let's not develop the false impression that everything is great in the EU. We (I live in the EU), too, have bad laws, and a patent office that has granted software patents. Here, too, there are fear of the terrorists, discrimination against muslims and foreigners (even from other EU countries), security theater, governments that block investigations of possible mishaps, unreliable voting machines, religious fanaticism, the works.

Not that life is downright terrible in the EU, but we need to keep our eyes open, promote what is good, and correct what is wrong. Sure, I guess it's fun to laugh at Americans who can't spell their own language right, think Holland is the capital of Amsterdam, and are being spied on by their own government, but then, I know there are plenty of people in my country who can't spell their own language right, have absolutely no idea where Minnesota is, and are spied on by their government even more.

Re:Outlawing file sharing is like...

[Rakishi]

Well I'm a driver and I fully support anti-jaywalking laws, your point being. The only time I jaywalk is on small streets with no traffic at all but even then it's not like I'd be bothered much if I couldn't.

Even in NYC, the city with probably the most jaywalkers and flattened jaywalkers in the US, only 56% of people opposed stricter enforcement of jaywalking laws. I'm sure most places can easily get that extra 8% that's needed for the majority of people to support such laws (or enforcement of said laws).

Don't worry

[aepervius]

I am a french (gasp!) and a parisian too (double gasp !) and I was treated as filth by anybody in authority too. I am here just saying that it looks like a pattern , and it don't really matter that youw ere a foreigner or not.

Re:RIGHT?

[radio4fan]

if you try to use their language, and don't get the accent quite right, then take it as an insult!

Bullshit.

I moved to France last Decemeber to learn French. I have not had a *single* experience of hostility from anyone here when speaking my terrible French to them, or at any other time.

The French I've met are friendly, warm, helpful, hardworking, practical and resourceful.

I had heard these stories about 'what the French are like' and in my experience the stories are just rubbish.

Re:RIGHT?

[Jedi Alec]

Hah, you think? The *real* reason is that when a cute french girl speaks english, no matter how poorly, the accent is absolutely &%^&#^$^& hot.

Dutch sounds a lot better with a good helping of french accent applied as well, btw.

But seriously, one of the major issues is that fact the all french tv is dubbed instead of subtitled, much like german tv btw. And if you want to get a feel for just how awful an experience this is for someone who isn't used to it, try imagining visiting another country and seeing someone watch, say, Amelie Poulin(great film) or even Taxi dubbed in german.

Hearing and speaking it regularly is the only way to make progress in a language, the stuff at school is just the basic foundation to start off from.

@+

Re:RIGHT?

[niktemadur]

Good job pointing out the fact that it was the Soviet army that did the lion's share of the task. Any doubt in that area can be dispelled by reading about The Battle Of Kursk [wikipedia.org], in July of 1943. After this campaign, which effectively broke the nazi army's back, Soviet forces were in a continuous forward march towards Berlin, which would have easily been achieved regardless of Operation Overlord and its' subsequent campaigns.
Most US citizens like to believe that Patton was the military genius in WWII, and he was very good indeed, but any historian worth his/her salt will tell you unequivocally that Field Marshall Georgy Zhukov [wikipedia.org] was The Man.

Re:Yes it has happened to me

[oliderid]

Generally French have difficulties with foreign languages just like Brits or Americans.

What you take as arrogance is usually a difficulty to answer you in English or in your native tongue IMHO.

Most don't know foreign languages. They have difficulties to handle their ignorance (they are proud people usually) and thus they look arrogant.

Their answer is short (they use the only few words they know like yes,no,this way or whatever)and they look annoyed (they are in fact embarassed).

Try to speak French/German in the middle of Great Britain or the USA and you will soon find yourself in a similar position.

I'm not French, I'm Belgian and my native tongue is French. French people are usually polite and well educated... But in French.

When you use English as a lingua franca in Europe, it is usually better to know "Excuse me" in the local language at least, smile, and ask this question to a young fellow (more chances that he/she knows English).