Anti-counterfeiting agreement raises constitutional concerns | Hacker News Reader

Anti-counterfeiting agreement raises constitutional concerns

washingtonpost.com

17 pointsCitizenKane7 comments

Interesting focus on the legality and Constitutionality of how ACTA might be accepted. Rather than Senate approval, the Obama administration has suggested the use of "sole executive agreement" option for approval. Scary to think ACTA could get all the way to approval without public discussion and debate!

EFF has a page for asking your Senator to investigate ACTA here: https://secure.eff.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=Us...

Its weird that something like this would be suggested by Obama since he taught constitutional law at Chicago; I'm sure he knows the supreme court won't just let him slide by without some kind of appeal.

Two things:

1. This is why there is a need for some true tech-savvy people to stand up and run for political offices starting yesterday. Policies such as this and net-neutrality are a bigger issue about our true and natural rights as citizens of the U.S. and not just someone imposing limits on our beloved internet. People need to stop looking at this as some fantasy or digital extension of oneself and realize that it is becoming a major part of our life and how we navigate through it. I feel like this is why people don't see that the implications are about stomping all over our constitution because it isn't a physical property.

2. Among the many concerns one could raise in this article, the most alarming is even considering allowing anyone but our own people and government to control this policy on our soil.

What if Obama's approach to the ACTA is a sneaky way of appearing to support the agreement, while provoking Congress (on totally understandable grounds) to step in and strike it down out of principal? Thus, Obama is seen to support IP law, but in the end it doesn't actually do anything ;)

I like to think our President is exceedingly clever, regardless whether it has a chance of being true. (though not in a, 'I'm going to fool the public' sort of way)

Both Obama and Biden are pro-copyright and for the rights of copyright holders. I wouldn't put much hope into him doing anything that enables or protects copyright infringement, or even maintains the current situation where consequences are hilariously unlikely.

I'm pro-copyright too, since that's the legal basis that gives open source licenses their power. I'd like to see reform along the lines of reasonable financial damage limits based on acknowledging the nature of digital goods, mainly lack of scarcity, and move away from the rhetoric that copyright is useful solely because without it people wouldn't create.

Oh, I know. It's just fun speculation. And you gotta admit, that sure is a move that makes sense if he wants you to think he's pro-copyright... ;) Once again though, just speculation.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com