Activists call Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement the"biggest global threat to the internet"

midian182

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After five years of negotiations, trade ministers from 12 countries, including the US, have reached a deal on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Campaigners say the agreement is the “biggest global threat to the internet,” and claim it will bring huge new online restrictions around the world.

The TPP’s claimed purpose is to create a unified economic bloc so that companies and businesses can trade more easily. Web freedom groups have accused the deal - which is expected to set common standards for 40% of the world’s economy - of favoring big business interests, adding that it will effectively export restrictive US intellectual property laws worldwide.

One of the most controversial aspects of the deal is that it makes revealing corporate wrongdoing “through a computer system” a crime. And although the wording in this section of the TPP is vague, some experts worry it could have ramifications for whistleblowers or journalists who expose illicit company activities online.

As part of the agreement, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam have agreed to take on the various intellectual property and internet laws of the US.

“The TPP is likely to export some of the worst features of US copyright law to Pacific Rim countries: 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 (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,” wrote Katitza Rodriguez and Maira Sutton of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Activists also worry that the TPP deal will eventually see Internet Service Providers receiving the power to police internet activity, take down online content and cut people off from internet access for common user-generated content.

Congress has 90 days to review the agreement before it can be signed. The full details of the TPP will not be fully published for years.

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I think it should be stated that it could be the greatest threat. Vague language is used and we don't even know all the circumstances given that it's being done in secret. The TPP has been around for the last two years and can honestly say that this should be made public because it's something that should concern everyone.
 
I think it should be stated that it could be the greatest threat. Vague language is used and we don't even know all the circumstances given that it's being done in secret. The TPP has been around for the last two years and can honestly say that this should be made public because it's something that should concern everyone.

Look at what the vague language in the patriot act allowed the government to do, now imagine that on a global scale
 
I think it should be stated that it could be the greatest threat. Vague language is used and we don't even know all the circumstances given that it's being done in secret. The TPP has been around for the last two years and can honestly say that this should be made public because it's something that should concern everyone.

Look at what the vague language in the patriot act allowed the government to do, now imagine that on a global scale
And just like that, people won't give a damn until the agreement actually starts to affect them. Until then, everyone remains wholly ignorant.

I don't care what it is, but anything cloaked with this much secrecy and not even involving elected officials (not that they're any good either) immediately makes me go "NOPEEE".
 
Can Americans still honestly say this is a country represents "power to the people" rather then "power over the people"? Will people ever deal with the real issue here: the principals on which our culture stands!
 
I think it should be stated that it could be the greatest threat. Vague language is used and we don't even know all the circumstances given that it's being done in secret. The TPP has been around for the last two years and can honestly say that this should be made public because it's something that should concern everyone.

Look at what the vague language in the patriot act allowed the government to do, now imagine that on a global scale

And in the beginning they sold it with the claim that you have to give up a little bit of freedom to get a lot of security and so it's developed into giving up a lot of freedom and getting no improvement in security, in fact we are now the prime target for too many countries hackers. Few know that after the second world war the US recruited a very large number of SS officers and put them into the role of our own CIA, which is one of the reasons the CIA was so effective through the 50's and 60's. Not perfect, but very effective. We missed our chance again after USSR collapsed when we could have done the same with the KGB officers that came available. Freedom and democracy are rarely clean and tidy but with the messiness comes a lot of good things. Now days the FBI are world wide, but our security continues to fail. Hopefully with the next chief executive in the white house, these will be addressed. In the meantime, the rights of the people must be preserved and Government must learn to suck it up and go back to their grass roots.
 
Can Americans still honestly say this is a country represents "power to the people" rather then "power over the people"? Will people ever deal with the real issue here: the principals on which our culture stands!

Dude, someone with a stick to rub together in their head said this same thing over 100 years ago. It wasn't heard then, and the population was smarter than it is now.
 
Us poor peons are have to much freedom on the net, that wont do, sir no that wont do at all. 20 years from now your top search results are going to be ads oh wait we have that already sponsored links. 30 years from years from now they might be able to charge you fines a hundred times greater for stealing a movie on the net then from the store ohhh wait they did that already.

?~One of the most controversial aspects of the deal is that it makes revealing corporate wrongdoing “through a computer system” a crime

So if you write a newstation a letter about a corp breaking the law thats ok. If write an email lookout your in trouble. If you take a picture of your letter and text it your in trouble. If you draw a painting of the picture of the letter in an email and ship it to a news agency what then?
 
The whole TPP thing stinks from top to bottom. Since when, in a democratic republic where information is the key to good government, is it OK to keep a world changing trade agreement secret. This thing should have been publicly debated for the last couple of years. Instead, they are saying that the actual text of the agreement will not be revealed for at least two more years. What's up with that? You know it stinks if they won't even tell you what's in it.
 
I think it should be stated that it could be the greatest threat. Vague language is used and we don't even know all the circumstances given that it's being done in secret. The TPP has been around for the last two years and can honestly say that this should be made public because it's something that should concern everyone.

Look at what the vague language in the patriot act allowed the government to do, now imagine that on a global scale
And just like that, people won't give a damn until the agreement actually starts to affect them. Until then, everyone remains wholly ignorant.

I don't care what it is, but anything cloaked with this much secrecy and not even involving elected officials (not that they're any good either) immediately makes me go "NOPEEE".

What's up with that? You know it stinks if they won't even tell you what's in it.

If you voted for Obama and his party then this is what you get. Does the line 'We have to pass it to see what's in it.' remind anyone of anything? (Nancy Pelosi said that about Obamacare). This happens because our administration believes they are smarter than we are, and they know what's best for us.
 
If you voted for Obama and his party then this is what you get. Does the line 'We have to pass it to see what's in it.' remind anyone of anything? (Nancy Pelosi said that about Obamacare). This happens because our administration believes they are smarter than we are, and they know what's best for us.
I'm no fan of Obama, but what you said is so factually inaccurate its ridiculous. You can disagree with whoever and whatever you want as long as you get your facts right. Government as a whole is at fault, not just Obama. If we don't hold both parties responsible then nothing will change. So put down the fox news and get the propaganda out of your head they've been feeding to you.
 
The only people that will be negatively affected by this is the NON-usa members.

All the "bad things" in there are current US laws and regulations that they are enforcing to the other members of the deal.

The thing about whistle blowers being treated as criminals is so blatantly absurd I can't even believe its an issue. So they honestly think it would become criminal to expose criminal activity? Seriously come on, where did common sense go?
 
I'm no fan of Obama, but what you said is so factually inaccurate its ridiculous. You can disagree with whoever and whatever you want as long as you get your facts right. Government as a whole is at fault, not just Obama. If we don't hold both parties responsible then nothing will change. So put down the fox news and get the propaganda out of your head they've been feeding to you.

You are 100% absolutely correct. The government as a whole is to blame. That is the exact point I hope you understand. The reason that's Obama's problem is because he and his party believe the government should control darn near everything, while the other side believes in shrinking govt and giving it less power. This is basic reps vs. dems ideology. Reps = less govt. Dems = more govt. It's one of the core differences between the parties.

So if you believe govt is the problem, and you vote for the party that tries to increase it's power, then you are the one who is factually confused.

Lots of people feel the same way you do though. It's why Trump and Fiorina, and Carson are leading the republican race right now. None of them are politicians. People are so sick of govt, our next prez may be someone who is new to govt.
 
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Re: MilwaukeeMike,

INCORRECT! The GOP wants you to believe they will shrink government but the only thing they really want to do is shrink social programs and regulations. They are all for big government, don't be another PAP regurgitating drone. List bills introduced to devolve rights back to the states - I DARE YA. The party of No is all for big business, big defense, big Ag, big banks, MORE corporate welfare, you name it. They want less regulations for their cronies. They are much more so behind intelligence spending and love 'off-the-books' and behind closed doors deals such as the Patriot Act, new un-named domestic surveillance programs and this pro-business TTP. Who in the *%@! do you think is behind business more, the GOP or the dems? They both know who butters their bread but the GOP believes anything that's good for business is good for the United States.

The Dems are behind regulation b/c that's the only thing saving us from corporate malfeasance. You want to know what civilization is? It's rules and regulation, like traffic signals and standards of decency. You want to know why U.S. internet speeds are slow, why you can't cherry pick cable channels, corporate ceo salaries are through the roof, jobs get shipped to Communist China and then property taxes, etc. go through the roof while some states rip up paved roads? It's due to the business lobby and pure bribery in Congress. Yes, both parties. The dems just throw up a different flag for their enthrenched "interests" but if you believe 'less government' is going to happen by voting for GOPers I've got a bridge to sell ya. If you believe GOP lemmings always vote to lessen the role of government you're living in a fantasy pal.

What's funny is the drones who get their news from a few trusted sources and react knee-jerk to anything that differs from their indoctrinated mindset. It may be a few more election cycles before the country sees that extremes don't work and we need to get good laws passed. Until then we get .... what we deserve (Hillary - yikes, or buffoons like 'I can see Russia' or Trump and lying zombies like Paul Ryan.) Onward ho...
 
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