Be scared. This stuff has been bubbling under the radar for awhile. The DMCA passed in the late 90’s with broad bipartisan support in congress (it was actually unanimous in the Senate). It has been overall a horrible thing. If this ACTA stuff ends up getting into law in anything resembling these leaks, it will be much worse. So far though, I haven’t seen any of the revulsion at these kinds of things that one sees online translate into any actual resistance to these sorts of things by the people in government who will actually end up deciding what happens.

Leaked ACTA Internet Provisions: Three Strikes and a Global DMCA

(Gwen Hinze, EFF, 3 Nov 2009)

Negotiations on the highly controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement start in a few hours in Seoul, South Korea. This week’s closed negotiations will focus on “enforcement in the digital environment.” Negotiators will be discussing the Internet provisions drafted by the US government. No text has been officially released but as Professor Michael Geist and IDG are reporting, leaks have surfaced. The leaks confirm everything that we feared about the secret ACTA negotiations. The Internet provisions have nothing to do with addressing counterfeit products, but are all about imposing a set of copyright industry demands on the global Internet, including obligations on ISPs to adopt Three Strikes Internet disconnection policies, and a global expansion of DMCA-style TPM laws.

Still waiting to see actual Pirate Party candidates on any of my ballots. They will probably instantly get my vote as long as they aren’t otherwise complete nutjobs. Which knowing small third parties in the US, they probably will be. But I can hope.