Now Comes ACTA

To start this post off, let me ask just one question: Seriously, what is up with these acronyms?

If you’ve heard about SOPA and PIPA (which, I am sure you have, after all, it was all over the news during the blackout last January 18), then you have probably heard about ACTA–Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.

If not, then let me give a little background on this.

ACTA is sort of a big brother to SOPA and PIPA.  It is an international treaty that threatens free speech and your privacy online.  Imagine if your ISP could censor their networks, police what you did online, and with greater ease turn your information over to authorities.  That’s the danger that ACTA poses, and it’s got to be stopped.

According to Access, Access in October raised the flag on ACTA, but the downfall of SOPA and PIPA has helped turn ACTA from a forgotten international treaty to the center of the fight for a free and open internet.  Though several countries have already signed this treaty, the European Parliament still has to vote on its approval.  If they vote NO, it will totally dismantle ACTA and send it back to the drawing board.

Just like with SOPA and PIPA, you can help prevent ACTA by signing the petition found in this page: https://www.accessnow.org/acta

Fresh off the defeat of SOPA and PIPA, a growing movement online has taken place to not just organize on internet, but FOR the internet.  We’ve seen what happens when people online rally to take down rights-restricting laws.  Now we must turn our attention to defeating ACTA.  While we respect the rights of creators, ACTA’s ill-conceived provisions will have chilling effects on free speech everywhere!

Hundreds of thousands of signatures are needed in order for the petition to be heard in European Parliament.  Sign now and let your voice be heard and send ACTA to the dustbin of history!