France to crack down on internet piracy

France to crack down on internet piracy

www.ft.com

France is set to introduce the world’s most draconian laws against internet piracy, after parliamentarians voted on Tuesday to give the government powers to cut off offenders’ internet access.

The controversial draft law would create an agency to police illegal downloading of copyright material. The bill still has to be voted on by the Senate but is widely expected to be approved in a final vote on Wednesday

(visit the link for the full news article)

It seems this is just the start of policing the internet. How are they going to know who is downloading what? Also will this apply to sites like this - where you put in an external quote? It is still others material but we are giving credit to where it came from.

How many other countries are going to take this step towards policing the internet?

Internet users who download films and music without paying for them would get three warnings before being cut off for up to a year. Until now action against illegal file sharing has been a matter for the French courts.

Lawyers say France’s move to cut the courts out of the issue of internet access may contravene the European Convention of Human Rights and could spark conflict with Brussels. Long awaited reform of EU telecoms regulation has been held up by disagreements over whether the courts should be involved.

“The European Parliament has taken a tough stance on this, and in my understanding it will not move from the position that only the judiciary can take the decision to cut off the customer,” said Dirk van Liedekerke, a partner at Olswang in Brussels.

Consumer groups said the creation of a non-judicial body with the power to police the internet would threaten civil liberties.

So they are passing the law - but won't they have to have some kind of tracking information on every computer to enforce the law?

Jérémie Zimmermann, director of La Quadrature du Net, a French internet advocacy group, said: “This is very harmful to the neutrality of the net. But [French president Nicolas] Sarkozy has already showed that he is willing to sit on the fundamental principles of European law.”

The bill was voted down last month when it first came before the National Assembly, because not enough deputies from the ruling UMP party turned up.

On Tuesday Mr Sarkozy ordered all UMP deputies to attend the vote. It was passed by 296 votes to 233.

UK media organisations called for similar anti-piracy laws. But the French initiative could face legal challenges from those who have their internet access cut off by the new agency, Mr Van Liedekerke said.

The bill, drawn up by Denis Olivennes, the chairman of Fnac, one of France’s leading DVD and CD retailers, is supported by Hollywood studios, music labels and some artists, who see illegal downloads as the biggest threat to their businesses.

The French crackdown on internet piracy is the latest in a string of disputes with Brussels, over issues ranging from subsidised energy prices to a bailout package for the motor industry.

People will get their internet access completely cut off? WOW

Also Sarkozy seemed to be very intent on this getting passed by ordering all the UMP to be there to vote.

This is very disturbing since it will entail internet cut off compared to going to a court and let those people who had something downloaded that was their own work to sue somebody over it. This is complete excessive regulation of the internet.

How long before this type law reaches all shores?




www.ft.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Looks like they've gone ahead and done it...

Associated Press

PARIS (AP) -- France's Senate has given final approval to a law that would punish people who download music and films illegally by cutting off their Internet connections. The law creates what could be the world's first government agency to punish online pirates. The 189-14 vote Wednesday followed approval Tuesday by the lower chamber.

This would certainly appear to me to be the beginning of the end for internet freedom.

I will be extremely interested to see exactly how they do intend on enforcing this and to what extent any technology will play a part in monitoring the internet use of the French.

Not good news, by any measure...

Peace,

MGGG

The people who are the most dedicated file shares will also be the most computer savvy, just hoping on to a neighbours WiFi would do the trick, even if it's protected there are ways ranging from getting access to a computer already on the network to down and dirty 'virtual' brute force attacks, kids do it for fun!

Seems like a good way to catch the average Joe out yet again whilst at the same time making the pros get more professional and driving the whole issue deeper underground.

The ISP's already do that in Ireland and the EU is on about bringing in widespread anti piracy laws in the next couple of years.

Three strikes where they can prove you were stealing copyright online.. and they cut you off. No fines, no courtcase.. you can appeal and if you have justification, you will be put back on the grid and reimbursed.

Im 50/50 about it... but thats because illegal downloading directly affects me.

I think its a good thing, i know im in the minority but i dont care. The main issue is its theft of intellectual property and without the owners permission shouldnt be given out for nothing. Thats all they are trying to do, stop illegal DLing.
Also this has been done before
www.abovetopsecret.com...

This is the start of something very bad, yes its been done before but this time the 'corporations' are puting muscle behind their oulandish demands.

I can see this policing group being set up within 6 months in europe and 12 months in the US they will target public trackers first of all then go for the little men afterwards.

The ISP's will now launch a counter attack to this as they will lose business if this goes ahead. They will not be able to cancel your subscription and carry on taking your money that would be against our rights.