coffee.geek.nz

Torrent freak, a news site for those who participate in torrent networks (legal or otherwise) is claiming "Kiwi 3 Strikes Anti-Piracy Bill Receives Unanimous Support".
http://torrentfreak.com/kiwi-3-strikes-anti-piracy-bill-receives-unanimo...

However, that is incorrect. Support was not unanimous. Clare Curran, Labour Party MP spoke up on twitter that her speech was not 100% supportive of the new bill. (Labour is NZ's largest opposition party) Here's the speech http://tinyurl.com/2egf9sc
(It's a little bit tl;dr for me.. sorry Clare, i have way less time now in between changing nappies on a small person - can has podcast version?).

What is supported unanimous, is the removal of "guilt by accusation" that was in the 2008 amendment by the last Labour government and supported by the National party (the Greens and maori party did not support the 2008 amendment)

In the new 2010 amendment (still before parliament), a risk adverse ISP is finally not required to act upon accusations alone and disconnect their customers in order to avoid liability themselves. The new bill, as currently written, ensures that ISPs are never expected to judge the merits of any accusation like they were under the 2008 amendment. It was ridiculous to expect an ISP to know the difference between a song you bought, a song you stole, a song you wrote, and what "fair use/dealing" exceptions apply etc. etc.

So those not infringing copyright no longer need fear they're be disconnected.

Regular readers of this blog will know I'm involved in ensuring evil forces do not take over the internet and lock it down so they control who can use it.

The latest threat to the open uncaptured internet is a multilateral treaty called ACTA. It has been negotiated in secret by a small set of wealthy nations including New Zealand. (Secrecy is not normal for multilateral treaties ). Its been labelled national security secret.

The full draft text of this national security secret has been leaked many times. What does it contain? Mandatory disconnection from internet If you're ever accused of copyright infringement (possibly even if you are innocent) known as "3 strikes" or "graduated response"; Routine search of laptops and ipods at the border of these nations; Seizure of generic drugs (same drug as the branded thing, just cheaper); Surveillance of your internet connection and the revealing of your private data.

Its basically the wishlist from encumbent media giant corporates like Disney and Sony who are afraid of the internet, and some big pharmaceutical companies maximizing profit. It contains alot of "unintended consequences" that are bad for free speech, freedom, and people's rights to not be punished without due process. ACTA resembles the defeated copyright acta s92a, but on steroids.

I spent all Saturday with people from most NZ political parties, legal experts from a many nations, musicians, humaritarians, book publishers, scientists, librarians, authors and tech nerds like myself. The end result is a document called "The Wellington Declaration"

New Zealand's Ministry of Economic Development have released from documents on the ongoing ACTA negotations.
http://news.business.govt.nz/news/strategic/article/9761

Smarter people than me have read these, and found nothing new revealed.

The last round of negotiations was in Mexico - the next round of talks is right here in New Zealand.

quick recap:

ACTA (anti counterfeiting trade agreement) is a treaty currently being negotiated by the world's weathiest countries, including New Zealand. It is officially about things like stopping the fake prada handbags trade - but there's also been leaked documents showing that big media have been asked for their wishlist such as 3 strikes internet disconnection that we protested so loudly against in NZ's s92a of the Copyright act.

It would be disastrous to have stopped such New Zealand laws that give out punishment (internet termination) without trial or appeal, like the s92a did, only to have it implemented anyway via a treaty that our parliament ratifies. Now is the time to make noise.

This need to stop fake prada is so important, it's been classed as "National Security", so none of us lowly citizens are allowed to know what's actually being negotiated. This also is not standard practice for treaty negotiations to be secret.

All Official information act requests, in several countries, have been unsuccessful in finding out what they're putting into this treaty - cos, you know, national security.

The next talks are in Wellington in April - standby for more info later on citizen action.