ACTA

What is it? How does it affect you. What should you tell others?

On October 23, 2007, America, the EU, Switzerland and Japan began secretly negotiating a new intellectual property enforcement treaty. The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).

Other nations, including Canada, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Mexico, Jordan, Singapore, and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) got involved too. It establishes unrestricted international global trade rules.

ACTA would impose a strong, top-down enforcement regime, with new cooperation requirements upon ISPs, including perfunctory disclosure of customer information. ~ WikiLeaks May 2008

ACTA threatens personal and digital freedoms.

It creates an extralegal "global IP (Information Protocol) enforcement institution to oversee its implementation." In short, it turns the ISPs (Internet service providers) into its enforcers.
The agreement requires signatories "promote cooperative efforts within the business community" on issues regarding copyright and trademark infringement.

ACTA potentially criminalizes almost anything online. It lets government and corporate predators censor, shut down websites and prosecute their owners if they object to posted content.

(Dictionary Meanings)

Signatories: Someone who signs and is bound by a document.

Perfunctory: Characterized by routine.

Extralegal: Not regulated or sanctioned by law.

Petitions which can be signed to prevent this bill from being passed
Stop ACTA - Global: http://www.change.org/petitions/global-stop-acta#
Stop ACTA - E Petition: http://www.stopp-acta.info/english/get+involved/petition/petition.html