USTR

United States Trade Representative

U.S. Government Denies that ACTA Mandates Filtering or Three Strikes, But Questions On its Contents Remain

On Monday, the New York Times added to the increasing media scrutiny of ACTA, the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. This proposed international agreement, which has the potential to drastically change the landscape of copyright law and policy, still remains hidden from the public eye.

Given this lack of transparency, it's no surprise that the substance of the agreement can only be discussed by way of leaks, speculation, and warring sound bites. Among the suppositions on ACTA's contents was the following:

<

blockquote> E.U. negotiators, for example, are said to have balked at a U.S.-backed proposal to require Internet service providers to take tough steps against digital piracy.



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On Monday, the New York Times added to the increasing media scrutiny of ACTA, the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. This proposed international agreement, which has the potential to drastically change the landscape of copyright law and policy, still remains hidden from the public eye.

Given this lack of transparency, it's no surprise that the substance of the agreement can only be discussed by way of leaks, speculation, and warring sound bites. Among the suppositions on ACTA's contents was the following:

<

blockquote> E.U. negotiators, for example, are said to have balked at a U.S.-backed proposal to require Internet service providers to take tough steps against digital piracy.

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On Monday, the New York Times added to the increasing media scrutiny of ACTA, the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. This proposed international agreement, which has the potential to drastically change the landscape of copyright law and policy, still remains hidden from the public eye.

Given this lack of transparency, it's no surprise that the substance of the agreement can only be discussed by way of leaks, speculation, and warring sound bites. Among the suppositions on ACTA's contents was the following:

<

blockquote> E.U. negotiators, for example, are said to have balked at a U.S.-backed proposal to require Internet service providers to take tough steps against digital piracy.

[#title] => [#description] => [#printed] => 1 ) [#title] => [#description] => [#children] =>

On Monday, the New York Times added to the increasing media scrutiny of ACTA, the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. This proposed international agreement, which has the potential to drastically change the landscape of copyright law and policy, still remains hidden from the public eye.

Given this lack of transparency, it's no surprise that the substance of the agreement can only be discussed by way of leaks, speculation, and warring sound bites. Among the suppositions on ACTA's contents was the following:

<

blockquote> E.U. negotiators, for example, are said to have balked at a U.S.-backed proposal to require Internet service providers to take tough steps against digital piracy.

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Another Pro-ACTA Letter from MPAA, RIAA, et al.

A number of movie studios, record labels, and other copyright-holding companies (and their related trade associations) have also written a pro-ACTA letter to Congress, which I first saw posted on Ben Sheffner's blog. Minus the bizarre "distraction" claim, it follows the same basic pattern—that ACTA will benefit IP businesses and do nothing harmful.

The evidence for this? Still absent. Instead, the letter reiterates that changes in technology require online copyright enforcement, and thus a section of ACTA covering the Internet.

This probably shouldn't require repeating, but I'll say it again. A solution has to be tailored to solve the problem. Is ACTA properly tailored to solve copyright infringement? No one can tell.



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A number of movie studios, record labels, and other copyright-holding companies (and their related trade associations) have also written a pro-ACTA letter to Congress, which I first saw posted on Ben Sheffner's blog. Minus the bizarre "distraction" claim, it follows the same basic pattern—that ACTA will benefit IP businesses and do nothing harmful.

The evidence for this? Still absent. Instead, the letter reiterates that changes in technology require online copyright enforcement, and thus a section of ACTA covering the Internet.

This probably shouldn't require repeating, but I'll say it again. A solution has to be tailored to solve the problem. Is ACTA properly tailored to solve copyright infringement? No one can tell.

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A number of movie studios, record labels, and other copyright-holding companies (and their related trade associations) have also written a pro-ACTA letter to Congress, which I first saw posted on Ben Sheffner's blog. Minus the bizarre "distraction" claim, it follows the same basic pattern—that ACTA will benefit IP businesses and do nothing harmful.

The evidence for this? Still absent. Instead, the letter reiterates that changes in technology require online copyright enforcement, and thus a section of ACTA covering the Internet.

This probably shouldn't require repeating, but I'll say it again. A solution has to be tailored to solve the problem. Is ACTA properly tailored to solve copyright infringement? No one can tell.

[#title] => [#description] => [#printed] => 1 ) [#title] => [#description] => [#children] =>

A number of movie studios, record labels, and other copyright-holding companies (and their related trade associations) have also written a pro-ACTA letter to Congress, which I first saw posted on Ben Sheffner's blog. Minus the bizarre "distraction" claim, it follows the same basic pattern—that ACTA will benefit IP businesses and do nothing harmful.

The evidence for this? Still absent. Instead, the letter reiterates that changes in technology require online copyright enforcement, and thus a section of ACTA covering the Internet.

This probably shouldn't require repeating, but I'll say it again. A solution has to be tailored to solve the problem. Is ACTA properly tailored to solve copyright infringement? No one can tell.

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Hollywood: Never Mind the Transparency, Here's the ACTA

It's not a surprise that the Motion Picture Association of America is a supporter of the so-called Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, a proposed international copyright and trademark agreement that the public isn't allowed to see. What is surprising is how willing the MPAA is to dismiss calls for an open and democratic process as a "distraction."

In a letter addressed yesterday to Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the MPAA endorsed ACTA and then went on to say this:

Outcries on the lack of transparency in the ACTA negotiations are a distraction. They distract from the substance and the ambition of the ACTA

This is a pathetic excuse for logic.



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It's not a surprise that the Motion Picture Association of America is a supporter of the so-called Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, a proposed international copyright and trademark agreement that the public isn't allowed to see. What is surprising is how willing the MPAA is to dismiss calls for an open and democratic process as a "distraction."

In a letter addressed yesterday to Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the MPAA endorsed ACTA and then went on to say this:

Outcries on the lack of transparency in the ACTA negotiations are a distraction. They distract from the substance and the ambition of the ACTA

This is a pathetic excuse for logic.

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It's not a surprise that the Motion Picture Association of America is a supporter of the so-called Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, a proposed international copyright and trademark agreement that the public isn't allowed to see. What is surprising is how willing the MPAA is to dismiss calls for an open and democratic process as a "distraction."

In a letter addressed yesterday to Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the MPAA endorsed ACTA and then went on to say this:

Outcries on the lack of transparency in the ACTA negotiations are a distraction. They distract from the substance and the ambition of the ACTA

This is a pathetic excuse for logic.

[#title] => [#description] => [#printed] => 1 ) [#title] => [#description] => [#children] =>

It's not a surprise that the Motion Picture Association of America is a supporter of the so-called Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, a proposed international copyright and trademark agreement that the public isn't allowed to see. What is surprising is how willing the MPAA is to dismiss calls for an open and democratic process as a "distraction."

In a letter addressed yesterday to Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the MPAA endorsed ACTA and then went on to say this:

Outcries on the lack of transparency in the ACTA negotiations are a distraction. They distract from the substance and the ambition of the ACTA

This is a pathetic excuse for logic.

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Copyright, Climate, the Chamber of Commerce, and ACTA: a few more connections

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has made a good deal of intellectual property news recently, given their copyright and trademark lawsuit against the Yes Men for the latter's fake press conference and website, in which they impersonated the Chamber and claimed that it was reversing its position on climate change legislation.

Of course, the Chamber is more than just a plaintiff when it comes to IP issues—they're one of the reasons that more lawsuits like theirs may soon be replicated overseas. That's because the U.S.



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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has made a good deal of intellectual property news recently, given their copyright and trademark lawsuit against the Yes Men for the latter's fake press conference and website, in which they impersonated the Chamber and claimed that it was reversing its position on climate change legislation.

Of course, the Chamber is more than just a plaintiff when it comes to IP issues—they're one of the reasons that more lawsuits like theirs may soon be replicated overseas. That's because the U.S.

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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has made a good deal of intellectual property news recently, given their copyright and trademark lawsuit against the Yes Men for the latter's fake press conference and website, in which they impersonated the Chamber and claimed that it was reversing its position on climate change legislation.

Of course, the Chamber is more than just a plaintiff when it comes to IP issues—they're one of the reasons that more lawsuits like theirs may soon be replicated overseas. That's because the U.S.

[#title] => [#description] => [#printed] => 1 ) [#title] => [#description] => [#children] =>

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has made a good deal of intellectual property news recently, given their copyright and trademark lawsuit against the Yes Men for the latter's fake press conference and website, in which they impersonated the Chamber and claimed that it was reversing its position on climate change legislation.

Of course, the Chamber is more than just a plaintiff when it comes to IP issues—they're one of the reasons that more lawsuits like theirs may soon be replicated overseas. That's because the U.S.

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ACTA Treaty 'Anti-Consumer and Anti-Innovation' Groups Tell Congress

A treaty being negotiated by the U.S. government dealing with
intellectual property issues appears to have included parts of prior
agreements “most favorable to groups of intellectual property
holders” while leaving out those elements “most favorable to
consumers,” Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) and Public
Knowledge told Congressional leaders.

Groups Protest Obama Administration Secrecy on 'Trade Agreement'

Sixteen library, consumer, creator, and civil liberties organizations
today told the Obama Administration of their “deep concerns about
the lack of transparency and openness” surrounding the negotiation
of an international trade agreement that has the potential to rewrite
U.S. copyright law.

Roundup on new ACTA leak stories

Just a quick note on some of the recently-surfaced news on ACTA's Internet provisions.

  • Michael Geist of the University of Ottawa has some details and analysis here;
  • IDG/PC World has a good summary here
  • And EFF has additional in-depth analysis and discussion here.


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Just a quick note on some of the recently-surfaced news on ACTA's Internet provisions.

  • Michael Geist of the University of Ottawa has some details and analysis here;
  • IDG/PC World has a good summary here
  • And EFF has additional in-depth analysis and discussion here.
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Just a quick note on some of the recently-surfaced news on ACTA's Internet provisions.

  • Michael Geist of the University of Ottawa has some details and analysis here;
  • IDG/PC World has a good summary here
  • And EFF has additional in-depth analysis and discussion here.
[#title] => [#description] => [#printed] => 1 ) [#title] => [#description] => [#children] =>

Just a quick note on some of the recently-surfaced news on ACTA's Internet provisions.

  • Michael Geist of the University of Ottawa has some details and analysis here;
  • IDG/PC World has a good summary here
  • And EFF has additional in-depth analysis and discussion here.
[#printed] => 1 ) [links] => Array ( ) )

ACTA Remains Closed: The Difference Between Inclusion and Transparency.

A number of blogs and websites have picked up the story of how the Office of the United States Trade Representative ("USTR") continues to keep ACTA out of the public eye, even as it rolls towards its next round of negotiations in early November.

The big story of last week was how drafts of one particular section on "Internet provisions," likely to be discussed in the next round, was disclosed to a small group of people under a non-disclosure agreement ("NDA"). I was one of those people.

Part of the story is a question of whether ACTA proponents, or the USTR itself, are trying to blunt calls for openness and transparency by appearing to open things ever-so-slightly.



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A number of blogs and websites have picked up the story of how the Office of the United States Trade Representative ("USTR") continues to keep ACTA out of the public eye, even as it rolls towards its next round of negotiations in early November.

The big story of last week was how drafts of one particular section on "Internet provisions," likely to be discussed in the next round, was disclosed to a small group of people under a non-disclosure agreement ("NDA"). I was one of those people.

Part of the story is a question of whether ACTA proponents, or the USTR itself, are trying to blunt calls for openness and transparency by appearing to open things ever-so-slightly.

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A number of blogs and websites have picked up the story of how the Office of the United States Trade Representative ("USTR") continues to keep ACTA out of the public eye, even as it rolls towards its next round of negotiations in early November.

The big story of last week was how drafts of one particular section on "Internet provisions," likely to be discussed in the next round, was disclosed to a small group of people under a non-disclosure agreement ("NDA"). I was one of those people.

Part of the story is a question of whether ACTA proponents, or the USTR itself, are trying to blunt calls for openness and transparency by appearing to open things ever-so-slightly.

[#title] => [#description] => [#printed] => 1 ) [#title] => [#description] => [#children] =>

A number of blogs and websites have picked up the story of how the Office of the United States Trade Representative ("USTR") continues to keep ACTA out of the public eye, even as it rolls towards its next round of negotiations in early November.

The big story of last week was how drafts of one particular section on "Internet provisions," likely to be discussed in the next round, was disclosed to a small group of people under a non-disclosure agreement ("NDA"). I was one of those people.

Part of the story is a question of whether ACTA proponents, or the USTR itself, are trying to blunt calls for openness and transparency by appearing to open things ever-so-slightly.

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Groups Ask USTR To Remove Internet Issues From Trade Treaty

Nine groups have sent a letter to Ron Kirk, the U.S. Trade Representative, asking him for some revisions to his decision to move forward with the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).

The groups told Kirk, “Based on negotiating documents that have become public—but not made available by the U.S. government—we have good reason to believe that the ACTA negotiations could harm a significant portion ofthe economy as well as consumer interests.”

Watching the Watchlists

On Thursday, the US Trade Representative issued this year's Special 301 Report, which is meant to highlight countries that are seen as not doing enough to protect copyrights, patents, and trademarks. Countries are placed on a "Watch List" or a "Priority Watch List." Countries on the Priority Watch List face the possibility of trade sanctions.

Placement on the lists is based upon comments and consultations from interested parties—and the parties who keep showing the most interest in this process are the industry groups that profit from IP. The list has been used as a means for the content industries to add the weight of the US government to their gripes about the state of other countries' IP laws.



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On Thursday, the US Trade Representative issued this year's Special 301 Report, which is meant to highlight countries that are seen as not doing enough to protect copyrights, patents, and trademarks. Countries are placed on a "Watch List" or a "Priority Watch List." Countries on the Priority Watch List face the possibility of trade sanctions.

Placement on the lists is based upon comments and consultations from interested parties—and the parties who keep showing the most interest in this process are the industry groups that profit from IP. The list has been used as a means for the content industries to add the weight of the US government to their gripes about the state of other countries' IP laws.

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On Thursday, the US Trade Representative issued this year's Special 301 Report, which is meant to highlight countries that are seen as not doing enough to protect copyrights, patents, and trademarks. Countries are placed on a "Watch List" or a "Priority Watch List." Countries on the Priority Watch List face the possibility of trade sanctions.

Placement on the lists is based upon comments and consultations from interested parties—and the parties who keep showing the most interest in this process are the industry groups that profit from IP. The list has been used as a means for the content industries to add the weight of the US government to their gripes about the state of other countries' IP laws.

[#title] => [#description] => [#printed] => 1 ) [#title] => [#description] => [#children] =>

On Thursday, the US Trade Representative issued this year's Special 301 Report, which is meant to highlight countries that are seen as not doing enough to protect copyrights, patents, and trademarks. Countries are placed on a "Watch List" or a "Priority Watch List." Countries on the Priority Watch List face the possibility of trade sanctions.

Placement on the lists is based upon comments and consultations from interested parties—and the parties who keep showing the most interest in this process are the industry groups that profit from IP. The list has been used as a means for the content industries to add the weight of the US government to their gripes about the state of other countries' IP laws.

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