EU Considering Three Strikes Downloading Law
France and the UK have already begun considering such "three strikes" downloading laws, but with France taking over the EU presidency on 7/1, there is talk - and a vote upcoming - on a E.U. version.
Now Sarkozy, who took over the European presidency this week, is trying to stretch the measure across Europe through amendments (pdf) to the Telecoms Package, a review of European telecoms law currently in the European Parliament.
Critics fear that through this legislation European ISPs could also be mandated to block legitimate traffic in an effort to 'prevent' illegitimate traffic slipping by. Some amendments will transform the ISPs from technical intermediaries into law enforcers.
Action groups Netzpolitik.org, Open Rights Group and La Quadrature du Net (Squaring the Net) have been actively campaigning on the issue. They believe the amendments will "pave the way for the monitoring and filtering of the internet by private companies, exceptional courts and Orwellian technical measures".
The vote takes place 7/7; yes, that is today. The groups above have asked people to let their MEPs know: this isn't the kind of legislation they want (assuming they agree with said groups, of course).
Now Sarkozy, who took over the European presidency this week, is trying to stretch the measure across Europe through amendments (pdf) to the Telecoms Package, a review of European telecoms law currently in the European Parliament.
Critics fear that through this legislation European ISPs could also be mandated to block legitimate traffic in an effort to 'prevent' illegitimate traffic slipping by. Some amendments will transform the ISPs from technical intermediaries into law enforcers.
Action groups Netzpolitik.org, Open Rights Group and La Quadrature du Net (Squaring the Net) have been actively campaigning on the issue. They believe the amendments will "pave the way for the monitoring and filtering of the internet by private companies, exceptional courts and Orwellian technical measures".
The vote takes place 7/7; yes, that is today. The groups above have asked people to let their MEPs know: this isn't the kind of legislation they want (assuming they agree with said groups, of course).
