[At-Large] [APAC-Discuss] Draft Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement on IP

[Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro]

Dear All,

>From discussing regional politics, now I would suggest that we zoom into
the technical options for protecting digital content otherwise referred to
as Digital Rights Management Systems (DRMs). We know that the Internet has
brought access to knowledge, markets, culture in a way that has transcended
what it's original architects ever imagined.

We know that music, commodities that are traded over the net are digital
products/content and many argue to be classified as services (but I will
not go into the politicisation of terminologies and semantics).

 I like how CISCO puts it across "*The proliferation of technologies that
enable mass-market digital copying and analog/digital conversion, combined
with file-sharing software and peer-to-peer networks that are easily
accessible via high-speed Internet connections, have led to increased
concerns about distribution of unauthorized copies of copyrighted media. In
particular, the movie and music industries continue to search for technical
and regulatory solutions to combat digital piracy."* See:
http://www.cisco.com/web/about/gov/issues/ip_rights.html

The analysis done by EFF
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/08/tpp-creates-liabilities-isps-and-put-your-rights-risk
as
first shared on this list by Carlton highlights a few critical points:

(1) Three Strikes Policies and Laws require termination of access;
(2) Places a requirement on Internet Intermediaries (ISPs, Network
Providers) to monitor your content and filter all copyright infringements;
(3)Forces Internet Intermediaries to disclose identities of their customers
to IP Rights stakeholders on an allegation of copyright infringements [in
normal speak, extends law enforcement capabilities to just about anyone
claiming IPR]

There are many other threats but for the sake of continuing the discussion,
I will say this. There are all sorts of implications on Privacy and Proxy
Servers etc and I fear that someone just opened Pandora's Box.

For the developing world, if you think the cost of filtering by your ISP or
Network Provider is already high,  it's going to get even higher because as
it will cost the ISPs and of course that cost will be passed down to us
consumers, ordinary internet users.

There has been much advocacy and Press Releases on regulating the Internet.
The TPP is a Treaty and it is a Treaty that directly threatens access.....