

The latest round of negotiations over the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA — a secret treaty that contains provisions requiring nations to wiretap the Internet, force ISPs to spy on users, search laptops at the border, and disconnect whole households from the net on the basis of mere accusation of copyright infringement) is just kicking off in Mexico, and activists from around Mexico and the world have converged on the meeting to demand transparent, public negotiations of this critical treaty.

True to the secretive, crony-capitalist nature of this treaty, the organizers have done everything they can to harass and intimidate observers. Attendees at the so-called "public meeting" were booed by representatives from big business, and they ejected an activist for using Twitter to post updates on what was being said in the room.

There was even an effort to force members of the public who attended the meeting to sign non-disclosure agreements, though outrage forced them to reconsider.

This is not how the world makes its copyright laws. In years gone by, copyright treaties were made by the UN, in full sight of NGOs, the public and the press. Now that copyright touches everything we do on the Internet — from political organizing to health care to basic education and communication — we need more transparency and due process, not a retreat to smoke-filled rooms where lobbyists from privileged industry groups do an end-run around democratic process.

REPTILIA: crónica de la reunión en el IMPI por Geraldine Juárez

ACTA – consulta del IMPI en México

(Thanks, Geraldine and Paolo!)

(Image: 2propuestas para el #TwitterShowcase 24 #ACTA #openACTA, a Creative Commons Attribution image from N3T1O™'s photostream)