/ world today news/ The Trans-Pacific Agreement covers 40% of the world economy and sets new rules for online business, as well as for traditional business
An agreement was signed these days, which many experts and activists called “the biggest threat to the Internet space”. This agreement could impose major restrictions on what people can do with their computers.
“The TPA is about to export America’s worst copyright laws to the rest of the countries that are part of the economic partnership: a broad ban on cracking digital locks on devices and creative works (even for legal purposes); minimum term of copyright protection 70 years after the death of the author (the current international norm is 50 years after the death of the author); privatization of copyright enforcement; damaging administrative penalties, without evidence of actual violations, and confiscations of computers and equipment in alleged violation by governments,” wrote Katica Rodriguez and Myra Sutton of the American Electronic Frontier Foundation.
“The changes that follow from this agreement may also lead to new surveillance rules. Under the TPP, ISPs could be required to ‘police’ user activity, download Internet content, and restrict people from accessing the Internet for user-generated content,” wrote the group Expose the TPP, which opposes the agreement.
In addition to imposing strict new rules on consumers’ use of the Internet, activists note that some parts of the trade agreement could restrict fundamental aspects of the Internet and modern computing. Such is the restriction on digital locks, for example, which are designed to allow companies to control their products even after they have been purchased by the user – this can prevent people with disabilities from making important changes to their computers or using different technologies.
The TPA was done in secret and won’t be made public for years to come. Tech experts wrote to Congress in May to demand more transparency about the partnership.
“Although it contains many provisions that go beyond the scope of traditional trade policy, the public remains in the dark while these deals continue to be negotiated behind closed doors, under the strong influence of a limited number of shareholders,” they wrote.
Translation: Julia Vladimirova
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