What's all the fuss about Megaupload? It was an illegal file sharing site. The owner was even found guilty of paying content uploaders to upload illegal material!
Now, OK, a 50 year jail sentence is immensely exaggerated. But the point is it was right for the site to be shutdown. Regarding the other premises of ACTA (which the megaupload thing has nothing to do with) I do not agree with the Internet censorship part and the extremely harsh penalties. However, the basic idea of protecting content is a good one. K On 06 Feb 2012, at 19:09, Daniel wrote: > Ramon, > > so you're going to do the speaker part? > > some information about what happens TODAY in the WESTERN World!! So hwy do we > need ACTA??? > > Wire-tapping is everywhere > > Devices are built and shipped with tracking capability built-in and hidden > deep in the firmware, ready to be activated whenever a government deems you > as a person of interest. In Australia alone, Senator Scott Ludlum of the > Green party in Australia told us that an astonishing 250,000 requests for > metadata on individuals were filed by the Australian government last year. > Metadata includes things like your location, the file name, type and size of > things you’ve uploaded and downloaded but not the content, the recipients > number of text messages you’ve sent but not the content, and URLs you’ve > visited but again, not the content. > > Because of this ‘loophole,’ governments often don’t require a court order or > prior approval to make these requests and obtain this information. Their > argument is that metadata isn’t important – but it is, and stories can be > constructed to warrant your detainment off metadata alone. > > In 2005, over one hundred Greek politicians including the Prime Minister > himself had their mobile phones tapped by an unknown culprit in what became > known globally as The Athens Affair. It led to the suicide of a 38 year old > Electrical Engineer, caught up in a scandal that proved the dangers of mobile > phone tracking software and the control it gives to not only governments, but > anyone with the skill to hack it. > > Censorship of the internet > > Just yesterday, large sites such as Wikipedia, Google, Reddit and over 6,000 > other websites including OMG! Ubuntu! ‘blacked out’ in protest of a bill with > which you’re all familiar with. This morning, file sharing site Megaupload > was shut down by the FBI, and the site founders arrested on piracy charges. > > Appelbaum displayed slides of torproject.org blocked in countries such as > Syria, Libya, Egypt, and China. That’s to be expected – the western world is > acutely aware that the aforementioned nations have aggressive internet > censorship in place. What might surprise you is that Appelbaum then showed > slides of that same URL blocked on cellphone carriers O2 and Vodafone in the > UK, and T-Mobile in the USA. Carriers that you use every day in democratic > countries. Or so you thought. > > “The United States is the next authoritarian state,” Senator Ludlum says, and > the rest of the world needs to be aware that bills such as SOPA or PIPA will > affect the world, not just the USA. > > “Would you rather live under American domestic policy or American foreign > policy?” Appelbaum asks, jokingly. “Well now there’s no difference.” > > Self-censorship > > Censorship is formed in a variety of ways. In China, a ‘spiderweb of shame’ > prevents people from accessing banned websites and discourages internet users > to even try. Searching for a keyword such as ‘democracy’ is very likely to > enact some reaction from the authorities. In the US, legal threats are used > to inspire fear in the populace. > > When people know they’re being watched, their behaviour changes – and > interestingly, the populace begins to censor themselves. For fear of being > caught, users avoid controversial websites, avoid speaking out or joining > groups to exercise their democratic right (such as Occupy or Anonymous), and > stay away from anonymity networks like the Tor Project. > > This simply makes it easier for the government to keep watch. > > What can you do? > > Free Software is extremely important in the war to maintain control. Users > need to be aware of what’s going on in their phones, in the ISP data centres, > in their laptops and in the cloud. Spread, advocate, and use Free Software to > maintain freedom from surveillance, freedom from censorship, ownership of our > machines, freedom from data retention and logging that can be used against > you in the future, and freedom from fear. > > Maintain anonymity on the internet because if governments don’t know who you > are, their entire strategy falls apart. Use software like Tor (which we’ll > introduce with another article next week) to hide your identity, and ensure > that you do not remain ignorant. You may not be special now, but you might be > in the future, and something is always interesting to someone. > > Encourage mainstream adoption of anonymity on the internet, and contribute to > projects that are fighting for internet freedom. > > And lastly, educate yourself on legislation that might affect your ability to > access information, and exercise your democratic right to ensure that > legislation is not implemented that might destroy an open internet. > > > > On 06/02/12 07:32, Ramon Casha wrote: >> >> Hehe I could be there on behalf of both MLUG and MHA :) >> >> Ramon Casha >> >> >> On 4 February 2012 20:49, Daniel <[email protected]> wrote: >> count me in but I wish to have a group input before representing >> others....... >> >> >>> I am attending the protests for personal and community reasond, please >>> advise who won't mind speaking, and is it possible to collaborate in >>> documenting a speech and a press release (pr could be pushed with my >>> contacts in local papers) >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Warren >>> >>> On Feb 4, 2012 10:06 AM, "David Carachi" <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Hi Penguins, >>> >>> I'm forwarding this message on behalf of the Malta Anti-ACTA group: >>> >>> " >>> Malta Linux Group qed insibilhom problema bil-contact page u mghandix cans >>> nilghab al addresses ta nies. Din l-official email. Amilli pjacir >>> wassalilhom u al feedback tihom l-email tiji [email protected] >>> >>> Dear Malta Linux User Group, >>> >>> As you may know, a peaceful demonstration in protest of the ACTA-treaty >>> shall be held on Saturday 11th February at 11am, City Gate Valletta. Your >>> organisation is invited to officially attend this protest. Your presence >>> and participation would be greatly appreciated. Kindly confirm whether you >>> will be attending as an organisation by the earliest time possible. >>> Your organisation is also being invited to present a speaker to deliver a >>> short statement regarding the issue and your organisation’s position. If >>> you should decide to avail from such an opportunity, please inform us who >>> will be representing and addressing the public on behalf of the >>> organisation during the event. >>> We hope to see you on the day. Thank you for your attention. >>> >>> Regards, >>> >>> Reuben >>> >>> Malta Anti-Acta Group" >>> >>> Regards, >>> >>> David Carachi >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> MLUG-list mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://linux.org.mt/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> MLUG-list mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://linux.org.mt/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >> >> -- >> <Mail Attachment.jpeg> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> MLUG-list mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://linux.org.mt/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> MLUG-list mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://linux.org.mt/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list > > -- > <Forum_Signature_By_Zwopper_Dew.jpg> > _______________________________________________ > MLUG-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://linux.org.mt/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list
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