Copyright rules and the Trans-Pacific Partnership

The TPP is a massive new trade deal that locks in restrictive copyright rules, like the length of time content stays under copyright. Are you worried about including copyright rules in international trade agreements? Share your concerns about the TPP here.

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Very worried by the control that governments are taking. They are trying to control our freedoms more. But at least we know that the hackers out there are generally smarter than the big companies & usually find a way around this. But it is definitely not in the consumers best interest.

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I wasn’t aware of this component of the TPP. Like everything else in the TPP, this seems designed to benefit the mega-corps at the expense of anyone else.

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This is probably the most important of all the sections of the TPP and has very little to do with trade, and everything that has to do with intellectual property from downloading GoT to filling a script at the chemist. It is heavily weighted against the consumer, and against the country as the whole agreement gives authority to courts outwith the legal systems of all sovereign nations. Agreeing to this takes away our national sovereignty (ISDS provisions), and many of the reforms the current government is trying to bring in have to do with bringing our national legislation in line with the TPP no matter how it harms our national interest. Very few of our politicians have even read it, its far too complicated for that, and legal and economic researchers and authorities around the world have pretty much given it the thumbs down. It hands enormous power to those multi-nationals that have grabbed intellectual rights over patents, trademarks, genetic markers, horticultural developments, books, music, videos, medication, medical appliances, and almost all aspects of life that have a non-physical component. These companies can dictate what we read and how, what we watch, what we listen to, whether we can use green power or fuel, whether we can swallow cheap generic medications like now, or pay through the nose to protect their patents, and can sue our national government if it makes cheaper alternatives available to us as it harms terms of trade. They can use this agreement if we ban manufacturing developments like genetic modification of foodstuffs, insist on the date stamping of perishable goods, etc. The scope of the intellectual property provisions is mind-blowing, as is its implication, but don’t look at a politician near you to explain it. They just think its good for us and will increase our trade. This is hardly even scratching the surface of what this (so-called) Trade Agreement covers but it is far more than simply downloading a pirate video.

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I agree, a country should be free to govern in the best interests of their constituents, no “trade agreement” should have ISDS provisions, multinational corporations must accept the sovereign risk that goes with marketing in a particular country. Likewise individuals and corporations should have fair protection of their intellectual property and patents, but not the excessive provisions in the TPP with the USA .

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The TPPA is is probably the biggest single threat to Australian sovereignty, let alone digital rights. Both major parties support it.

One definition of treason is:

    n.    Violation of allegiance toward  one's country or sovereign, especially the betrayal of one's country by waging war against it or by consciously and purposely acting to aid its enemies.

    n.     A betrayal of trust or confidence.
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Obama is attempting to force the TPP through Congress before he is replaced in November. Everyone should support the EFF (Electronic Freedom Fighters) who are trying to prevent this even as we speak,
Check it out here… http://tinyurl.com/hkhnvla