Working together to prevent the implementation of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
Recently the Internet, and with it our freedoms to express ourselves and communicate, has been under siege.
The most recent embodiment of that threat was the SOPA bill in the United States, a piece of extreme anti-Internet legislation which provoked a huge outcry, an outcry that led to the derailing of that bill. Now the focus has changed to ACTA. Tens of thousands of people have marched on the streets across Europe in a huge wave of protest. We have seen the birth of a European Spring in defence of digital rights and civil liberties.
Our enemies have tried to characterise us as misinformed and extreme. Yet even the Economist has described ACTA as “potentially draconian”. Are Amnesty International and Medicins sans Frontieres misinformed when they warn this treaty will harm human rights and the ability of developing countries to access generic drugs? We don't think so.
This treaty gives the entertainment industry significant extrajudicial power over the web. It specifies criminalising “aiding and abetting” copyright infringement - so it takes in all Internet actors, blogs, sites, Internet service providers, even potentially links.
We are continually told that there is a piracy crisis. There is no crisis. In the US more music was sold than ever before last year. In the UK sales volumes increased. This was driven by digital. Culture needs a free and functioning web. No one has shown us credible evidence that ACTA will put any more pennies in artists' pockets.
Do not let anyone tell you this treaty is for the sake of artists.
The numbers of people out on the streets in Poland have been an inspiration. We know the combination of protest and political pressure works. The Polish government has suspended the ratification process. They have been joined by the Czech republic, Slovakia, Latvia and Germany. However we can not stop here.
ACTA has only taken an arrow to the knee, now we must aim for the heart. Now we must finish it off, We can beat ACTA and anything that follows in its wake. Because beat it, we must.
- Join the Pirate Party and help us fight ACTA
- Sign the direct.gov e-petition to Stop ACTA
- Contact your MP and MEP's to let them know you oppose this agreement
The Pirate Party UK is a democratic political party built on grassroots support and the work of volunteers.
We stand for Digital Rights, Civil Liberties and a politics fit for the 21st Century. We want a Britain where all can be part of our shared culture and economy.
We are a party with no parallel in British politics, wholly transparent to the public, accountable to our members and not dependent on external groups for our funding or direction.
Be a part of change
The Party is pressing for fair changes to the law and the right changes in society. You can help us achieve that. Join Today
Loz Kaye to Stand in Manchester Central By-Election - The Guardian
Twitter Joke Trial Shows UK Law Not Fit For Purpose - Public Service Europe
CETA: the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement - Independent
ACTA: controversial treaty rejected by EU - BBC
Politically Poisonous to be "Anti Internet" - Russia Today
press release #PPUK EU Referendum: Finding a way forward - Following days of turmoil in the Tory party on European... http://t.co/ZFc6aPmirS
"We could be facing an onslaught of web blackouts here in the UK": http://t.co/BBbsJM5z6N
press release #PPUK Ipsus Mori offering Everything Everywhere http://t.co/PZElHwkLhj
7m UK adults have never used Internet: http://t.co/lQaFQXZkJm We should be increasing access, not shutting it down.
