Stop ACTA

[JaffaKree!]

Hey guys, I hope this is the right place to post this.

I'm woefully ignorant about current politics, so maybe that's why I only just found out about this act called ACTA. It's like SOPA but worse.
Basically it gives corporations the power over internet, and can even stop generic medicine production because of patents.
It's been in the works for three years already behind closed doors, also known as, you know, in secret.
ACTA is being voted on in the EU late spring I believe, so there's still time to do something about it. You can do so by signing a petition here: http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_save_the_internet_spread/?fQTMEcb&pv=270

I'm not really good at this kind of talk, so I'll let these videos talk for me.

[video=youtube;citzRjwk-sQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=citzRjwk-sQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=ZyU8P3WCfO4

Thanks for reading!

 

[Graybrew1]

I heard about this. I don't know what is in the koolaid for these politician these days.

 

[OMNI]

many countries including the US has already signed this tho the US in particular seems to believe it can disregard this treaty if it so chooses.

i seriously doubt much can be done about this since it has been around for quite some time and many have already signed it.

 

[Rac80]

A little FYI

many countries including the US has already signed this tho the US in particular seems to believe it can disregard this treaty if it so chooses.

i seriously doubt much can be done about this since it has been around for quite some time and many have already signed it.

The USA may have signed it but it's not in effect in the USA unless the senate ratifies it-- it is a "treaty" since it deals with international issues. ALL treaties MUST be ratified by the Senate. to be ratified means 67 of the senators must vote for it...a 2/3 majority. I can tell you right now that it won't be ratified.... So therefore it will have no effect in the USA. it's not that the USA ignores treaties, it's that they are not in effect unless they have been ratified by the US Senate.

 

[JaffaKree!]

many countries including the US has already signed this tho the US in particular seems to believe it can disregard this treaty if it so chooses.

i seriously doubt much can be done about this since it has been around for quite some time and many have already signed it.

Omni, like Rac said, I think there's a bit more to it.
I'm not sure how it goes exactly, but what I understand is that this signing was done by ambassadors, and the representatives will vote in the European Parliament next, either for or against. But even if it passes, at least in my country it still has to go through our own Parliament and get added into the criminal law before it can be enforced. I might have misunderstood of course, but nonetheless, there's still time to sign a petition or write to your representative. It's not the law yet.
I'm surprised there's so little talk about ACTA online. I feel like getting a megaphone and climbing onto the rooftop.