[x-pubpol] EFF: What Is TPP? Biggest Global Threat to the Internet Since ACTA

[Joly MacFie]

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/04/tpp-biggest-global-threat-internet-acta

The United States and ten governments from around the Pacific are meeting
yet again to hash out the secret Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement
(TPP) <https://www.eff.org/issues/tpp>on
May 15-24 in Lima, Peru. The TPP is one of the worst global threats to the
Internet since ACTA <https://www.eff.org/issues/acta>. Since the
negotiations have been secretive from the beginning, we mainly know what's
in the current version of this trade agreement because of a leaked draft
[PDF]<http://keionline.org/sites/default/files/tpp-10feb2011-us-text-ipr-chapter.pdf>
from
February 2011. Based upon that text, someother leaked
notes<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/08/new-leaked-tpp-puts-fair-use-risk>,
and the undemocratic nature of the entire process, we have every reason to
be alarmed about the copyright enforcement provisions contained in this
multinational trade deal.

The TPP is likely to export some of the worst features of U.S. copyright
law to Pacific Rim countries <https://www.eff.org/issues/tpp>: a broad ban
on breaking digital locks on devices and creative works (even for legal
purposes), a minimum copyright term of the lifetime of the creator plus
seventy years<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/08/all-nations-lose-tpps-expansion-copyright-terms>
(the
current international norm is the lifetime plus fifty years), privatization
of enforcement for copyright infringement, ruinous statutory damages with
no proof of actual harm, and government seizures of computers and equipment
involved in alleged infringement. Moreover, the TPP is worse than U.S.
copyright<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/temporary-copies-another-way-tpp-profoundly-disconnected>
rules:
it does not export the many balances and exceptions that favor the public
interest and act as safety valves in limiting rightsholders’ protection.
Adding insult to injury, the TPP's temporary copies
provision<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/temporary-copies-another-way-tpp-profoundly-disconnected>
will
likely create chilling effects on how people and companies behave online
and their basic ability to use and create on the Web.

The stated goal of the TPP is to unite the Pacific Rim countries by
harmonizing tariffs and trade rules between them, but in reality, it's much
more than that. The "intellectual
property"<https://www.eff.org/issues/intellectual-property/the-term>
chapter
in this massive trade agreement will likely force changes to copyright and
patent rules in each of the signatory countries. Accepting these new rules
will not just re-write national laws, but will also restrict the
possibility for countries to introduce more balanced copyright laws in the
future. This strategy may end up harming other countries' more
proportionate laws such as
Chile,<https://www.globalchokepoints.org/countries/chile> where
a judicial order is required for ISPs to be held liable for copyright
infringement and take down content. Such systems better protect users and
intermediaries from disproportionate or censorship-driven takedowns. If the
final TPP text forces countries to adopt a privatized notice and takedown
regime, this could imply the end of the Chilean system. It would also
undermine canada's notice and notice regime.

The content industry can and will
continue<http://www.dailydot.com/opinion/international-trade-agreements-threaten-internet/>
to
buy and lie to get their way to get laws that protects their interests, and
what they want more than anything is for us to remain passively ignorant. They
did it with SOPA, ACTA, and now it's
TPP<http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/actualidad/vivir/articulo-418482-nueva-amenaza-libertad-internet>
[ESP].
It's going to be a challenge to defeat these policies, but we can do it.
The TPP is slated for conclusion this October, but our goal is to get the
worst of these copyright provisions out of it. The way to fight back is to
show that we will not put up with this: to demand an open transparent
process that allows everyone, including experts from civil society members,
to analyze, question, and probe any initiatives to regulate the Internet.
The secrecy must be stopped once and for all.

Take this action and join over 26,000 people to send a message to your
elected representatives. Let's call on Congress to demand for the immediate
release of the text of the TPP, and make this process become democratic and
transparent once and for all.

[image: Take Action]<https://action.eff.org/o/9042/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8229>
(Not
in the US? Go here <http://stopthetrap.net/>.)

Below is our infographic highlighting the most problematic aspects of TPP.
Please spread the word about how this agreement will impact you and your
country. Right-click and save the image for the PNG file, or you can
download the PDF version below. Remix it, build upon it, and get the word
out. Let's protect and defend the Internet from this secret trade deal.
https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/images_insert/tpp_1.png

https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/tpp_0.pdf
-- 
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Joly MacFie  218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast
WWWhatsup NYC - http://wwwhatsup.com
 http://pinstand.com - http://punkcast.com
 VP (Admin) - ISOC-NY - http://isoc-ny.org
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