Wikileaks has just published what Boing Boing calls the “Internet Chapter” of the Trans-Pacific Partership trade agreement. The main problem for citizens with this type of agreement is that they are negotiated in secret. That allows corporations who exercise influence on congressional representatives and thus trade negotiators, undue influence. Without a time for public comment, the democratic process is subverted.
Many topics are covered in the chapter including DRM and other ‘technical measures’, extended copyright terms, increased penalties for infringement and ISP liability, the latter with a proposal for “adopting and reasonably implementing a policy that provides for termination in appropriate circumstances of the accounts of repeat infringers.” (via Wikileaks publishes the “Internet Chapter” of the secret Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement (SOPA’s back) – Boing Boing)
Barbara K Iverson 