The biggest threat to the internet you’ve probably never heard of.
The TPP is the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.
TPP is a trade agreement being negotiated between more than 12 countries around the Pacific region.
It has more than 26 chapters. And it covers a broad spectrum of issues.
From trade of dairy, meat, textiles, and automobiles.
To financial regulation, the labor regulations and more.
But one chapter put a huge threat to the Internet.
The chapter concerning intellectual property enforcement.
We can’t exactly know what’s in that chapter.
Because TPP is being negotiated in secret. There are serious Back-room deals that shut out the public.
Trade officials won’t release the text in the agreement.
Or even tell us what their policy positions are. On any issue.
One thing we know is that while the public shut out of the negotiating process Private corporate interests aren’t.
In particular, big content industries are spending ginormous amount of money.
And lobbying to convince policymakers that more aggressive draconian copyright laws.
Lead to more innovations more creativity and more jobs.
But in reality that just isn’t the case.
If adopted copyright enforcement measures proposed in the TPP
Can make the internet intimidating and repressive
users will be afraid to view, share
and interact with digital content
an early version of the text has the lead and you should be worried about what’s inside.
Internet service provider can be forced to become private copyright enforcers
Less they risk liability for the content posted by their users
For the TPP include certain protection from liability
Experienced with similar provisions in the US.
Suggest that ISPs will be encouraged to take down, filter and block legitimate content
Requiring only a private notice from an alleged copyright holder.
The copyright industry is obsessed with
Restricting users from tinkering with devices and content
Out of the fear that people will then use them for copyright infringing purposes
So what they do is installed digital rights management software,or DRM.
On devices to limit what users can do
Despite growing evidence that DRM does much more harm than good.
This prevents consumers from unlocking their phones to change telecom carriers.
Artists like documentary filmmakers who break encryption on a DVD
Or sample online streaming videos could face legal threats even if the video They create are legal.
People with visual or hearing disabilities can be prevent from
Changing the format of books and movies to make them more accessible
Not only that, DRM back by the full force of the law
Can be used to stifle competition
for example, a company can block unauthorized software or content from working with their devices just by enabling DRM
corporations claim that DRM is necessary to fight copyright infringement online and keep consumers safe from viruses
but there’s no evidence that DRM does much combat either of those things
fans should not be treated like criminals
and companies should not get an automatic veto help over user creativity choice and innovation.
These are only some of the problems with the TPP's copyright enforcement provisions
They would be harmful for everyone except for companies
That use these policies to suppress innovative competitors Or to criminalize sharing
instead of spending their resources to create new products
that respect the Internet and new technologies
they are lobbying for policies that would hinder and break them.
Severe Copyright policy restrict our right to share modify and experiment with content and technology
Innovation cannot thrive without thrive without these freedoms
internet users need to know what is going on
in the secret trade negotiations
internet users have a right to participate in this powerful international deal
that would impact millions of lives applies for decades to come
let’s show our policymakers that we won’t let back room trade deals determine what we can do with our technology
let’s show them that we the users are unified against corporate efforts to restrict our rights
the internet is ours. It’s up to us to defend it.