[Ip-health] InternetNZ: ACTA copyright negotiations demand scrutiny

[Malini Aisola]

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ACTA copyright negotiations demand scrutiny

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0807/S00055.htm

Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Press Release: InternetNZ

Media Release -- 23 July 2008 - InternetNZ (the Internet Society of New
Zealand Inc) is concerned at the paucity of detail surrounding the
proposed international Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).

ACTA seeks to impose a raft of enforcement measures which have the
potential to further erode citizens' fair-use rights in respect of
digital copyrighted material. For instance, a global legal regime for
Internet distribution of copyright protected works may be introduced.

To-date, negotiations have been held behind closed doors and
publicly-available information is scant, with the exception of an ACTA
discussion document leaked online.

In response to a call for submissions from the Ministry of Economic
Development, InternetNZ has filed a submission that expresses a range of
concerns the Society has with Internet-related aspects understood to be
under consideration.

For example, ACTA may see the introduction of procedures enabling rights
holders to expeditiously obtain information from ISPs identifying
alleged infringers, and could also introduce remedies against
circumvention of technological protection measures.

InternetNZ Executive Director Keith Davidson questions the need for New
Zealand to be discussing Internet provisions as part of ACTA.

"We already have legislation -- the Copyright (New Technologies)
Amendment Act 2008 - that covers off the illegal distribution of digital
sound and video recordings via the Internet. The Act also deals with
circumvention of technological prevention measures and with repeat
digital copyright infringers.

"Further, the Act has only recently been passed, with many of its
newly-amended and introduced provisions yet to take root and be fully
tested," he says.

InternetNZ believes that the proposed ACTA Internet distribution and
information technology provisions, if implemented, will do little to
strengthen New Zealand's existing measures against digital copyright
infringement. We are also concerned that they may coincidentally further
restrict what should be the legitimate use of digital content by New
Zealanders."

"We strongly urge the Government to adopt a wait-and-see approach with
respect to the effectiveness of New Zealand's amended Copyright Act
before committing to sweeping multilateral digital copyright enforcement
measures as part of ACTA," says Davidson.

A PDF version of InternetNZ's full submission is attached and also
available at the following link:
www.internetnz.net.nz/issues/submissions/2008


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Malini Aisola

Knowledge Ecology International

1621 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009 USA

Tel.:  +1.202.332.2670 Fax: +1.202.332.2673