France Approves Crackdown on Internet Piracy

[greggh]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/techn ... 13net.html

PARIS — The French National Assembly on Tuesday approved a plan by President Nicolas Sarkozy to punish digital pirates with the possible suspension of their Internet connections, a little more than a month after the same body had rejected the proposal in a surprise vote.

The assembly, the lower house of Parliament, voted 296 to 233 in favor of the bill, the furthest-reaching legislative initiative yet in the global battle by the music and movie industries against unauthorized copying of their works. The bill would create a new agency that would send warning letters to copyright violators; those who ignored two warnings would lose their Internet service.

How long before other countries follow suit? My belief is, not long. Industry's battle to remain as the paid gatekeepers of information and distribution of information is going to be fierce. They will bribe governments throughout the world to let them keep their business model. France is just the most recent extreme example.

[MattKingUSA]

Yeah, but it can be looked at as a good thing if you are in the industry. Plus, I really like Sarkozy. I can't really spell his name right. But he's fantastic. And he just recognised the fighting forces from Africa or Afrique and all that they did that was crucial to victory in France in world war II.

[eddie]

Actions like what the French have done will only hasten the conversion to freedom ware. I do not support piracy, but I do not support a media gestapo either. Media hogs are biting the hand that feeds them. Personally I have not wanted to go to the movies or purchase music. Most of it is crap. I can just get out my gitbox and hear that for free. That is probably the real reason why copyrighted media sales are going down.

[MattKingUSA]

Actions like what the French have done will only hasten the conversion to freedom ware. I do not support piracy, but I do not support a media gestapo either. Media hogs are biting the hand that feeds them. Personally I have not wanted to go to the movies or purchase music. Most of it is crap. I can just get out my gitbox and hear that for free. That is probably the real reason why copyrighted media sales are going down.

I couldn't agree with you more Eddie. Especially on youtube.com the censorship has begun to be rediculous. They have been removing content like crazy over there. And it's a shame that the labels don't see that they are hurting their sales rather than helping them. And it makes me hate the labels because they're so greedy.

[MattKingUSA]

" Opposition Socialist and Communist senators did not take part in the vote on the bill, which was passed by 189 votes to 14. "

Taken from this story on the BBC website.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8046564.stm

It never pays to sit out on a vote, even if you don't think you can make a differenct. Silly commies.

[eddie]

In Russia I am told that M$ and proprietary software is outlawed for the most part. Do not take my word for it. Usually only watch youtube for educational science and linuxy things.

[MattKingUSA]

In Russia I am told that M$ and proprietary software is outlawed for the most part. Do not take my word for it. Usually only watch youtube for educational science and linuxy things.

that sounds made up Eddie....

[Tsuroerusu]

How long before other countries follow suit? My belief is, not long.

Which is why the European Parliament passed amendments to it's version of a new EU telecom package that says that users can't be denied service without a prior ruling from judicial authorities. This is not yet law, now the parliament has to battle with the Council of Ministers (Where that media mafia mole Sarkozy is waiting), however the parliament has passed amendments like this three times, and has a strong stance on this. If the final law includes the Parliament's amendments, it will outlaw three strike models all across the European Union, and France will have to repeal their three strikes law or face court proceedings at the European Court of Justice.

" Opposition Socialist and Communist senators did not take part in the vote on the bill, which was passed by 189 votes to 14. "

Taken from this story on the BBC website.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8046564.stm

It never pays to sit out on a vote, even if you don't think you can make a differenct. Silly commies.

You know, I find it extremely funny, and even a bit sad that you lash out against others when you yourself CLEARLY have absolutely no idea what the hell you're talking about! The socialists and communists actually defeated this bill last month (France Rejects 3 Strikes Anti-Piracy Law), because of some funny coincidences. Don't blame them for not voting! Obviously this time, Sarkozy's UMP party didn't want to make the same mistake, and made sure to outnumber the socialists and communists. UMP, and it's allies hold 345 seats in the lower house, contrast to the opposition holding around 227 seats. I think it's very likely that the socialists and communists boycotted the vote in protest, because the bill would pass anyway, you may say that's not a good way to go, well fair enough, that's your opinion, but that's just how European politics sometimes work, parties boycott votes in protest when they know that they'll be voted down anyway (In Europe, a boycott is a way to signal strong disagreement), governments get subjected to a vote of no-confidence in parliament and are forced to step down and early elections be called (This was the case with the governments of Iceland and the Czech Republic recently, for example). Oh and by the way, the amendment to ban "three-strikes" laws that the European Parliament passed last week, which I mentioned earlier, was written by a French socialist MEP in the European Parliament.

[MattKingUSA]

You know, I find it extremely funny, and even a bit sad that you lash out against others when you yourself CLEARLY have absolutely no idea what the hell you're talking about! The socialists and communists actually defeated this bill last month (France Rejects 3 Strikes Anti-Piracy Law), because of some funny coincidences. Don't blame them for not voting! Obviously this time, Sarkozy's UMP party didn't want to make the same mistake, and made sure to outnumber the socialists and communists. UMP, and it's allies hold 345 seats in the lower house, contrast to the opposition holding around 227 seats. I think it's very likely that the socialists and communists boycotted the vote in protest, because the bill would pass anyway, you may say that's not a good way to go, well fair enough, that's your opinion, but that's just how European politics sometimes work, parties boycott votes in protest when they know that they'll be voted down anyway (In Europe, a boycott is a way to signal strong disagreement), governments get subjected to a vote of no-confidence in parliament and are forced to step down and early elections be called (This was the case with the governments of Iceland and the Czech Republic recently, for example). Oh and by the way, the amendment to ban "three-strikes" laws that the European Parliament passed last week, which I mentioned earlier, was written by a French socialist MEP in the European Parliament.

The French are always on strike...I don't know why they still didn't go and vote when they have an obligation to even if they won't win. They're quiters.. Now I'm just being silly. I don't really think that, but they should've voted.

[Tsuroerusu]

You know, I find it extremely funny, and even a bit sad that you lash out against others when you yourself CLEARLY have absolutely no idea what the hell you're talking about! The socialists and communists actually defeated this bill last month (France Rejects 3 Strikes Anti-Piracy Law), because of some funny coincidences. Don't blame them for not voting! Obviously this time, Sarkozy's UMP party didn't want to make the same mistake, and made sure to outnumber the socialists and communists. UMP, and it's allies hold 345 seats in the lower house, contrast to the opposition holding around 227 seats. I think it's very likely that the socialists and communists boycotted the vote in protest, because the bill would pass anyway, you may say that's not a good way to go, well fair enough, that's your opinion, but that's just how European politics sometimes work, parties boycott votes in protest when they know that they'll be voted down anyway (In Europe, a boycott is a way to signal strong disagreement), governments get subjected to a vote of no-confidence in parliament and are forced to step down and early elections be called (This was the case with the governments of Iceland and the Czech Republic recently, for example). Oh and by the way, the amendment to ban "three-strikes" laws that the European Parliament passed last week, which I mentioned earlier, was written by a French socialist MEP in the European Parliament.

The French are always on strike...I don't know why they still didn't go and vote when they have an obligation to even if they won't win. They're quiters.. Now I'm just being silly. I don't really think that, but they should've voted.

Maybe if this was the United States Congress! But it's not!!! This is the French parliament, and both in France, and all across Europe, boycotting a vote, when you know FOR SURE that you're outnumbered and will get voted down, is often times sending a stronger signal than simply voting no, that's just how we Europeans operate.