The Battle for the Internet
Things seem to be looking up in the battle for the Internet. For years now ACTA negations have been mired in secrecy and controversy. The leaked documents from the negotiations painted a bleak picture of corporations using their lobbying power to change the open, free nature of the internet to better suit their bottom line. From enforcing draconian DRM laws to holding ISP’s liable for copyright infringements by individual users, things seemed to be heading toward an Internet where end users have little to no rights and are under constant surveillance.
Luckily, the most recently leaked documents from the latest round of negotiations are cause for cautious optimism. It seems that articles infringing upon basic rights such as privacy have been dropped, as has ISP liability. Moreover, the European Parliament is pushing back against the secret treaties, and have adopted a Written Declaration condemning the negotiations altogether. Of course, the declaration is non-binding, so not all’s well yet. But it seems that at the least the tides of war are turning our way.
