"Why Should You Care About ACTA?"

The following article was literally copy-pasted from the activist site  http://www.anti-acta.com/. It is based on the contents of a leaked international treaty that specifies new digital media regulation and internet privacy reform.

These countries will be affected by the treaty:

" ACTA has several features that raise significant potential concerns for consumers privacy and civil liberties, for innovation and the free flow of information on the Internet, legitimate commerce, and for developing countries ability to choose policy options that best suit their domestic priorities and level of economic development.

Internet Service Providers are forced to monitor everything you do online and to report to the government with anything that seen as suspicious. How are they going to pay for this? We will be forced to pay with much higher Internet bills, in order to allow this invasion of privacy.

But that is not all.

ACTA is dangerous because

1. It makes it more difficult to distribute free software; Without file sharing and P2P technologies like BitTorrent, distributing large amounts of free software becomes much harder, and more expensive. BitTorrent is a grassroots protocol that allows everyone to contribute to legally distributing free software.

2. It will make it harder for users of free operating systems, such as Linux-based to play media. Consumers are no longer allowed to buy media without DRM and DRM'ed media cannot be played with free software.

3. It allows your devices to be taken away without any explanation whatsoever as part of random security checks. Devices suspected of including pirated material and/or copyright infringements will also be confiscated and searched. Not only is this an invasion of Privacy, this could mean restricted to people carrying digital equipment. This means that bringing an iPod or a laptop through airport security could cost hours off your time. This is not only restricted to digital device carriers. This extends the time required for the average check-in up to 70%, assuming 1 in 10 people receive a searched media Device.

4. ACTA requires that existing ISPs no longer host free software that has the possibility of including copyrighted media; this would substantially affect many sites that offer free software or host software projects such as SourceForge and Download.com. Most software we use on our computers are free. Are we to pay the price because of a misleading treaty?

5. Part of the ACTA treaty states that import generic medicine are to be restricted and controlled. This could have disastrous effects that will cost lives, especially in developing countries. The majority of medicinal companies do not supply medicine to third world countries. This is because more profit can be made by selling it to the richer countries where we live. Most medicines received in third world countries are imported by concerned people and charity groups. If ACTA is to be approved, these medicines would be confiscated for "security" reasons (in order to maintain a monopoly). Should these people die because of our current inaction and unwillingness to act against ACTA?

6. If ACTA is implemented, privacy on the internet is no longer a given. Internet Service Providers will be forced to monitor what websites you visit   and  what you type, search and do. People have a basic right to privacy that this treaty clearly ignores. Are you willing to pay this price?

7. ACTA gives governments and ISP’s the right to block websites deemed “unsuitable” There are no clear guidelines as to what is deemed suitable or unsuitable. Do you honestly believe that this power will not be abused for political and economical gain. China has used the same excuse to censor the internet. Concurrently, China has far banned facebook.com, youtube.com and blogspot.com. Does this seem like national security?

8. This treaty will not prevent piracy. This is an ineffective and ridiculous agreement that will only harm the common people, not the pirated goods trade. Again, China is an example. Most websites and Peer to Peer networks are blocked. Yet China has one of the most rampant piracy industries in the world. Why? Because piracy will always find another medium. Only we will suffer.

We cannot sit by and watch this happen. The Internet is a tremendous source of genuine free speech where ideas and criticisms are not limited by the whims of other people. We must stop this now, before it passes. Before it's too late."

The above article is an excerpt from  http://www.anti-acta.com/. Click the link to learn more about how this treaty will affect you if you are in one of the countries that are planning to ratify it, and how to help stop it.