Canada Considering A Three Strikes And You're Off The Internet Policy?

Techdirt is reporting that Canada may be considering a "three strikes" policy which could see users internet access privileges revoked for file sharing violations. "Given how secretive the industry and the government have been about new copyright laws, perhaps this isn't too surprising. We do know that the industry was pushing for greater ISP liability as part of copyright law changes a few months back, so it wouldn't be surprising if ISPs were negotiating a "three strikes" type rule to avoid the liability issues. Of course, they probably want to keep it secret, as publicity (and resulting anger) about these types of laws in Europe has at least some politicians moving away from them. However, as the entertainment industry does keep succeeding in getting these types of laws to move forward, how long will it be before similar laws are proposed in the US, with "everyone else is doing it" as part of the reasoning?"

Just great...

My plan to escape American ISP's and DMCA madness by going to Canada has been foiled!

The aristocracy is planet-wide...

...and the wealthy get really upset whenever something valuable is also abundant. The creation of artificial supply limitations, as a means of maintaining wealth and power, is one of the oldest tricks in the book.

You cannot escape this by relocating. Stand and fight. Hold your ground. It is the only way to get what you want.

The Empire strikes back in the great white Hoth

My plan to escape American ISP's and DMCA madness by going to Canada has been foiled!

What the USA has, the right wingers of Canada desire.
And since the Conservative party is in power in Canada, what the USA does, Canada does a year later.

Sounds good

I'll just switch to filing my taxes electronically...

Re:Sounds good

This is actually a very good point, in my opinion.

Seriously, with the importance of the Internet in everyday life, is there a case that this actually infringes on a person's civil rights, or at least on their basic rights?

Yes, I know Internet usage is not a civil right per se. However, in the USA and Canada, it's becoming extremely difficult to carry out certain basic functions off line. When is the last time you looked up something in a "phone book" made of paper?

Banning someone from internet access for something so trivial would severely restrict their life, IMHO.

Re:Sounds good

When is the last time you looked up something in a "phone book" made of paper?

When was the last time you searched for a specific product located in your neighborhood online and got results like 'Buy here!' Where here is a town 3 states away.

An outdated view of technology

Proposed legislation like this is based on an out-of-date mindset that internet access is some sort of above-and-beyond privilege to be closely regulated.

To people who have worked in the paper-laden chambers of legislative bodies for many years and have their assistants print out their e-mails for them to read, perhaps it still looks this way to them. But it is not.

Enough daily tasks, both personal and public, now require access to the internet such that I think it's time for internet access to be considered a civil right, to be suspended only for those genuinely too dangerous to remain at large.

Denying internet access isn't like a sentence of probation anymore; it's more akin to house arrest and should only be applied when the punishment fits the crime.

Re:Sounds good

What about free wifi? That's the real issue. I used to live in an apartment building, and all my neighbors sprung for a business-grade internet connection, and we set it up on wifi and went nuts while all the other poor bastards in the building were stuck with the crap cable connection.

If we'd been banned, we'd have just switched the cable to someone elses name. What are they going to do? Search my house weekly to make sure I don't have a wireless card?

Completely pointless.

Recipricol Three Strikes

I'd suggest that this law not be so one sided.

How about a three strikes provision against the *IAA (or equivalent) as well. This way, if they accuse falsely three times, they get tossed. Seems only fair to me. :-D

Re:Recipricol Three Strikes

Why not simply have the same rules for companies? Every company that has been found guilty in court of copyright, trademark or patent infringment at least three times is banned from the Internet.

Good bye, Sony BMG! Good bye, Microsoft! Good bye about nearly every larger editor or company!

The internet will be again as we knew it in the pre-1990ies.

One thing to hope for.

how long will it be before similar laws are proposed in the US, with "everyone else is doing it" as part of the reasoning?"

Maybe we can get one of those Canadian politicians to jump off a bridge?

Considering? Sure. Gonna happen? NOPE.

I'm canadian, and every time something controversial is proposed, the american media jumps all over it and says 'Canada is going to [insert crazy idea here]'.

The way laws are passed here makes it very difficult for something controversial to pass, unless it is a human rights case. AND, even in the event that the federal government does pass a law, each province can ignore it by using the 'not-withstanding clause'.

It sure is a horrible idea, but it would go against so many of our other laws that it would be struck down as soon as it was challenged even if it did get through the 3 readings and the senate and house of commons.

I'd have to say that this sort of law would be much more likely in a place like the USA, where the government has already revoked so many of the rights of the citizens in the name of national security. I wonder how much pressure it would take to claim that piracy is a matter of national economic security...

Re:Considering? Sure. Gonna happen? NOPE.

That's not what the notwithstanding clause [wikipedia.org] means. It means that the government can ignore (i.e. pass a law that runs counter to) certain parts of the Canadian Charter. It doesn't allow provinces to ignore federal acts of parliament.

Re:Considering? Sure. Gonna happen? NOPE.

I don't think the blank cd tariff is such a bad thing. It basically legalized file sharing [news.com]. It has made it possible for us to avoid such draconian laws like the DCMA. Besides, without us canadians, you americans wouldn't get any of your pirated movies (according to the MPAA).

File Sharing?!?! WTF?!?

File sharing? FILE SHARING? You gotta be joking! Oh, no, let's ignore.. oh I don't know... sexual predators... or, identity theft... and jump straight to the fsck'n FILE SHARING!

That's it! I declare that the world has gone insane. Driven by corporate greed and stupidity!

Good but...

Will they then repeal the media tax?

just a step down the slippery slope

I think the most worrying thing about this is not the law itself. It's the fact that someone will quickly realize that in order to implement the law it will be necessary for anyone accessing the Internet to be reliably identified. We really could be only a few years away from needing a "RealID" card to log on to a public wireless terminal in a coffee shop.

Three strikes of what?

Three strikes of actually being found guilty in a court of law, or three strikes of wild accusations thrown around by anybody with content to protect (and very little, if any, proof)?

Slashdot considering a similar policy?

Yes, but does it run... [STRIKE1]
Imagine a beowulf cl... [STRIKE2]
I, for one, welcome ... [STRIKE3]
  --- NO CARRIER ---

If they outlaw the internet...

...only the internet will have outlaws. Or is that outlaws have internets? If they ban marriage, only outlaws will have in-laws. No, wait. Forget it.

Re:sigh....

Dear Jasyn,

We would if anybody but shills, shysters and despots were running.

Thanks,
Everyone

Re:sigh....

Dear Intelligent, Competent, and Caring People,

Please consider running for office and giving us more options than shills, shysters, and despots.

Thanks

Re:sigh....

You might want to consider posting that anywhere but here.

Re:sigh....

It's easy to generate campaign money. All you have to do is become a shill, shyster, or despot and the money comes rolling in.

Re:First they came for the pirates...

"freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication"

You mean unless you say or write something that offends Muslims, right?

That's not a troll either, it's the truth.