Trans-Pacific Partnership

[John C]

Sorry, more political mumbo-jumbo.  Feel free to move along.

However, I've been keeping half an eye on this since it was first leaked, and the story gets grimmer every time more leaks.

From the United States perspective, there are only a handful of items that would actually affect us, like actual criminalization of copyright infringement, rather than it being primarily a civil issue.  However, it's also trying to export the worst of our laws, like criminalizing DRM-circumvention and discussing it, not to mention maximizing copyright terms retroactively where it isn't already Life+70.

The big worry, in the United States, is that they've been pushing for "fast track" status, bypassing Congress in making everything in there law.

The EFF has a good overview and a link to pester people at Go to Prison for Sharing Files? That's What Hollywood Wants in the Secret TPP Deal

[Yoc]

Good god, we live is scary, scary times.

[Geo (RIP)]

Good god, we live is scary, scary times.

I agree with you Yoc and John on this.

Geo

[paw broon]

We're not exactly happy about this over here, either, as we are about to be subjected to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.  Not only copyright questions but many other worries over big business and the power they will be given.  Coverage in many newspapers and media outlets is patchy, for some unfathomable reason - excuse the cynicism.  Fortunately there is a growing clamour for more info. and clarity.  We could lose our NHS and control of other public enterprises might end up in private hands.  That's just the start and I read recently about potential changes to our laws in the EU.
Here's the Wiki page on it:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transatlantic_Trade_and_Investment_Partnership

[John C]

Yeah, they're pretty closely related.  The TPP gets all the press because there's someone involved who's been leaking the various sections (especially relating to Intellectual Property) to the press and the White House has been saying that they want authority to fast-track it into law, once it's signed.

To their credit, all three of my representatives are on record that they're at least against the fast-track side.