[P2P-F] Fwd: [opennetcoalition] Copyright Interests Force Private Censorship into OECD Communiqué

Wed Jun 29 15:01:33 CEST 2011

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: La Quadrature du Net <jz at laquadrature.net>
Date: Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Subject: [opennetcoalition] Copyright Interests Force Private Censorship
into OECD Communiqué
To: opennetcoalition at laquadrature.net

La Quadrature du Net - For immediate release

Permanent link:
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/copyright-interests-force-private-censorship-into-oecd-communique

Copyright Interests Force Private Censorship into OECD Communiqué

*** Paris, June 29th, 2011 – The final OECD communiqué on Internet
Policy-Making Principles has been published. The entertainment industries
and a few governments ultimately let blind copyright enforcement repression
undermine the text's support of fundamental freedoms and the openness of the
Net. La Quadrature du Net supports the civil society coalition's rejection
of a bad compromise and of the final document. ***

Despite last minute negotiations led by the US government, the final
communiqué [1] on Principles for Internet Policy-Making includes dangerous
breaches to the Internet's openness and to the protection of fundamental
freedoms [2]. The civil society coalition, CSISAC, took the right decision
in refusing to endorse the final communiqué.

The text's good opening principles are deeply undermined by
copyright-related provisions [3] calling for Internet actors to participate
in an endless “war on sharing” and granting them private police and justice
missions [4].

Let's hope that future OECD works will offer a better opportunity for the
civil society to be heard. The multi-stakeholder process is the right
approach and should not be incompatible with a determined defence of freedom
of expression and the rule of law.

“It is unsurprising yet alarming that the OECD member countries chose to
side with the entertainment industries, undermining the very rights and
freedoms that they rightly seek to promote. Transforming hosters, search
engines, domain name registrars and others intermediaries into a private
police of the Net would profoundly alter the Internet's architecture and
harm its founding principles. Deciding Internet policy against the opinion
of civil society is like sticking to a copyright regime turned against the
public: it is bound to fail and undermines fundamental freedoms.", said
Jérémie Zimmermann, co-founder and spokesperson of La Quadrature du Net.

* Références *

1. http://www.oecd.org/site/0,3407,en_21571361_47081080_1_1_1_1_1,00.html

2. See our press release on the draft communiqué for more details about the
text's dangerous language:
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/oecd-draft-internet-communique-sacrifices-freedoms-to-copyright

3. The communiqué reads that “users should have the ability to access and
generate lawful content”, thus limiting free speech, and paving the way to
private, automated censorship where machines or private parties would
determine what is lawful or not, rather than a judge.

4. The OECD communiqué reads: “Internet intermediaries could take steps to
[...] assist rights holders in enforcing their rights or reduce illegal
content,[...], respecting fair process [...]”, with “fair process” being
explicitly defined with no reference to the judicial authority. It is
clearly designed to allow rights holders to bypass citizens' right to a fair
trial.
Also, rather than strongly affirming liability exemptions and why there are
important, the draft calls for the active involvement of intermediaries in
law enforcement. The communiqué reads: “Internet intermediaries, like other
stakeholders, can and do play an important role by addressing and deterring
illegal activity, fraud and misleading and unfair practices conducted over
their networks and services as well as advancing economic growth.”

** About la Quadrature du Net **

La Quadrature du Net is an advocacy group that promotes the rights and
freedoms of citizens on the Internet. More specifically, it advocates for
the adaptation of French and European legislations to respect the founding
principles of the Internet, most notably the free circulation of knowledge.

In addition to its advocacy work, the group also aims to foster a better
understanding of legislative processes among citizens. Through specific and
pertinent information and tools, La Quadrature du Net hopes to encourage
citizens' participation in the public debate on rights and freedoms in the
digital age.

La Quadrature du Net is supported by French, European and international NGOs
including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Open Society Institute and
Privacy International.

List of supporting organisations :
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-squaring-net-la-quadrature-du-net

** Press contact and press room **

Jérémie Zimmermann, jz at laquadrature.net, +33 (0)615 940 675

http://www.laquadrature.net/en/press-room

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