In this TED talk, Clay Shirky talks about SOPA and PIPA and how media companies have tried to limit the copying and sharing of media long before the advent of the internet.
However, just as drafting of the bill has been postponed, the EU and twenty-two member states have signed the ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) Treaty. Other signatories include the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Morocco and New Zealand.
What is ACTA?
ACTA is designed to protect intellectual property, and will also cover internet piracy. ACTA proposes that the responsibility of policing users should lie with ISPs.
ACTA still has to be ratified, but as Clay Shirky states: ‘it’s not over yet.’
More information about ACTA:
The Next Web – The EU and 22 member states sign the controversial ACTA ‘Internet surveillance’ treaty
BBC.co.uk – European Parliament rapporteur quits in Acta protest