is ACTA (http://en.wikipedia.org/...erfeiting_Trade_Agreement ). This is even larger than SOPA/PIPA, as it is a world-wide pact, which has already been signed by a number of countries, but is not yet enforceable because ACTA stipulates that it takes effect when six countries have deposited instruments of ratification, acceptance, or approval. In other words, most countries must still ratify the agreement (much like the WIPO Internet treaties, signing indicates general approval of an agreement but being bound by the terms requires ratification).

This still affects more than your average software pirate, as the copyright infringement restrictions would affect things like Wikipedia, Google, and Youtube, and would definitely open doors for governments to take SOPA/PIPA-like actions, and it wouldn't even need to be voted on by your local congressmen, senators, MPs or other elected officials. This is even worse than SOPA/PIPA!

Dont forget....

http://www.theatlantic.com/...-privacy-for-good/242853/

Mandated 18 month ISP data retention, for everyone..... Doesnt matter if you have no criminal record, the ISPs will be required to hold on to all of your internet history for a year and a half.

But nothing could possibly go wrong with taht.

Oh, and who could be against a bill that says it wants to reduce child pornography... they even put it in the bills name!

has ACTA even gone before congress in the US? last I heard Obama was signing it as an executive order

I believe you are correct.

The Executive branch was trying to play it off that they could unilaterally enact this treaty without congressional confirmation.

Constitutionally, the Senate has to approve all foreign treaties... I don't see what is any different about this.

The US is signed on already, but yeah- its not enforceable until they have measures set up to be able to deal with it.. Actually, given some thought- had SOPA/PIPA gone through, then it probably would have been a step forward in getting ACTA into action globally.

i'm not allowed to click on wikipedia links now.

Hmm.
Selling Automatic weapons to drug dealers.
Money Laundering for their bosses..
Invading a country only to hand it over to the Poppy Kings...

Yes, I trust them to come-up with another idea to keep us save.
How long before the story breaks about the gov't ran child-porn slave trade... shouldn't be long

"There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to live—did live, from habit that became instinct—in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard . . . every movement scrutinized."

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/...s-in-megaupload-backwash/

it would be interesting to see how much bribes the film industry is trying to feed the politicians

you can find out. Look up donations by industry at http://www.opensecrets.org
well at least for the uS:P

nice article. here is a nice picture to go with it...

http://www.flickr.com/...1967/4811203925/lightbox/

whatabout Super PAC's ! heh