EU Paves the Way For Three-Strikes Cut-Off Policy 272
Mark.JUK writes "The European Parliament has surrendered to pressure from Member States (especially France) by abandoning amendment 138, a provision adopted on two occasions by an 88% majority of the plenary assembly, and which aimed to protect citizens' right to Internet access. The move paves the way for an EU wide policy supporting arbitrary restrictions of Internet access. Under the original text any restriction of an individual could only be taken following a prior judicial ruling. The new update has completely removed this, meaning that governments now have legal grounds to force Internet providers (ISPs) into disconnecting their customers from the Internet (i.e. such as when 'suspected' of illegal p2p file sharing)."
Policy laundering (Score:3, Informative)
Re:88% What the hell?! (Score:5, Informative)
Excuse me? 88% of the parliament used to be for the amendment in its previous form (at least in a preliminary way). The amendment was changed, no doubt because of political compromises that the EP is famous of, and it still passed. Your interpretation is just wrong: these are the same people voting, the original amendment just never ended into a vote.
The story has a similarly biased interpretation: The new update has completely removed this, meaning that governments now have legal grounds to force UK ISPs into disconnecting their customers from the Internet. This is not true at all: The original amendment would have made sure ISPs could not do that without a ruling, but the current text doesn't give any legal ground for governments because it doesn't really change anything.
There may be some fishy deals behind this, but let's stick to the facts.
Re:88% What the hell?! (Score:3, Informative)
Get what we voted for:European election 2009 scors (Score:4, Informative)
Right : let's vote ! (Score:2, Informative)
I will be very interrested in seeing the trial suites that will be launched if one internet access is cut.
Plus here in France, most of us have multiaccess boxes (DSL bring : internet + TV + phone). Cutting internet means that it would but TV + phone. I don't think this is legal (no consequence). Plus, most ISP provides free wifi access to other customer "boxes". Will they cut also this ? because, if not you will still be able to download ... again, will they cut also the 3G network you can have on your phone as well ...
Again, this is a stupid law brought by politicians that does not even daily use a computer and that are all lawyer :( Even Sarkozy himself is a lawyer my friend :( They are only doing this to "improve" their incomes.
But the interresting point about a law, is that the next parliament can remove/break/anihilate it easilly ... so if French citizen are not happy, they just have to vote correctly the next time ;-)
Never forget & vote accordingly !
Re:Damn French... (Score:4, Informative)
http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2009/10/22/01002-20091022ARTFIG00615-le-conseil-constitutionnel-valide-la-loi-hadopi-2-.php [lefigaro.fr] (French article)
Two very bad news in the same day. Believe me, sometimes, it sucks to be French....
On the other hand, I can't wait to see if they will ever manage to have the law just working.
Re:this will be a problem in the future. (Score:4, Informative)
People will just setup anonymous free access Wifi everywhere.
I'm guessing you're wrong, and people won't actually do that.
The slashdot summer is very missleading (Score:5, Informative)
If you read the original article (website) you see a small but important editing: governments now have legal grounds to force UK ISPs into disconnecting!!
No idea what powers the government in the UK might have, in germany no one can cut me from my internet connection without a judges ruling.
Furthermore, if you read the mentioned article then I see no paragraph that suggests that a "EU Paves the Way For Three-Strikes Cut-Off Policy" is happening at all.
The article clearly states: restrictions may only be taken in exceptional circumstances and imposed if they are necessary, appopriate and proportionate within a democratic society. Copyright violations by no means are a danger to society ... unless ruled by a judge otherwise, nor is a cutting of the line in any way appropriated.
So I have the impression that the anti FUD is FUD itselv, very disappointing ;D
angel'o'sphere
Re:Unconstitutional (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Apply it on MPs and Ministers first (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Unconstitutional (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Get what we voted for:European election 2009 sc (Score:2, Informative)
The democrats in the US are on the right as well, they're just farther left than the republicans. FYI:
politicalcompass.org [politicalcompass.org]
This is why I find it so amusing when the hardcore republicans refer to the "extreme left" democrats, which happen to be far to the right of people like myself. I'm down there somewhere near Nader:
http://politicalcompass.org/uselection2008 [politicalcompass.org]
We're in good company though, we've also got Ghandi, the Dalai Lama, and Mandela:
http://politicalcompass.org/analysis2 [politicalcompass.org]
Re:Get what we voted for:European election 2009 sc (Score:5, Informative)
Meh, where I live (Spain), the left wing is in bed with the (equivalents of the) *AAs and it's in fact the right wing which is promising to abolish compulsive levies on digital storage media (HDDs, cellphones, flash drives, you name it) if they get elected.
These days I find that "left" vs. "right" means pretty much squat. Just vote for the least evil.
Re:The geek's sense of entitlement is his downfall (Score:5, Informative)
>>>Then don't go for that third strike.
Do you work for RIAA? You seem to share the same inability to understand basic human rights. No matter. You falsely-presume I'm guilty of strikes one and two. This is what Articles 47 and 48 of the Charter of Rights is about: The government has to PROVE guilt, not just assume it. The law should be written that FIRST they prove the three strikes are your fault and THEN you get internet cutoff. As currently written they don't have to prove anything - an open invitation for abuse (President Sarkozy could turnoff those he doesn't like, even if they did nothing wrong).