Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Stop ACTA and SOPA ireland

124»

Comments

  • #92
    Touch Fuzzy Get Dizzy
    Registered Users Posts: 5,019 ✭✭✭Touch Fuzzy Get Dizzy


    I received another two emails and that same one from Jim Higgins
    Dear All,

    Thank you for contacting me recently about the ACTA agreement that is currently in the process of going through the European Parliament.

    I have been encouraged by the amount of emails and phone calls that I have received about this issue. It is very positive that such a number of people are willing to get active and organised on this important question.

    I and the Socialist Party are completely opposed to the ACTA agreement and will actively campaign against it both inside and outside the European Parliament. In the Parliament am a member of the International Trade committee, the main committee in the Parliament responsible for ACTA. I will use my position on this committee to oppose ACTA and expose it's attack on people's civil liberties.


    I will shortly be putting some information on my website about ACTA and will be keeping my site (www.paulmurphymep.eu) up to date with information about the progress of ACTA in the Parliament and the campaign against it.

    This Saturday (11 February) there will be a protest against ACTA in Dublin it will start at 1pm at Parnell Square. I would encourage you to come along and to spread the word to your friends and family.

    Before the demonstration, at 11.30am, I will be hosting an open meeting about the ACTA agreement in my constituency office . I would like to invite you to come along as I would like to discuss the concerns people have about ACTA and chat about how we can continue the campaign against ACTA and other infringements of people's rights on the internet. The address of my office is 150 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. It is located near the junction with Upper Sandwith Street which is about a 10 minute walk from Pearse Street DART station.

    If you are not able to make it along I would be happy to hear from you again.

    If you would not like to receive any further emails from me please just let me know by email and I will make sure not to send you any other updates.

    Kind regards,

    Paul

    Paul Murphy MEP
    Socialist Party MEP for Dublin
    Dear ************,

    Thank you for your email concerning the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting
    Trade Agreement (ACTA).

    Formal examination of the proposed International Agreement has just
    begun within the EP but I am attaching for your information a link to a
    statement issued by my EP group, the Socialists and Democrats, in the EP
    in October 2010 setting out our views and concerns:

    http://www.socialistgroup.org/gpes/public/detail.htm?id=134927&section=NER&category=NEWS



    The proposal will now be examined in detail by the EP. The EU cannot
    implement the Agreement unless the EP approves it. The EP's press
    service has produced a guide on how the EP will deal with this issue, at
    -
    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/content/20120127STO36430/html/ACTA-EP's-role



    You can also follow this EP debate at
    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2011/0167(NLE)&lg=en#keyEvents



    As you may have heard I will shortly be stepping down as a Member of the
    European Parliament but I will ensure that my successor Cllr. Emer
    Costello sees your email.



    With best wishes,



    Yours sincerely,





    Proinsias De Rossa MEP,


  • #93
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,985 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    This study might be of interest. I am finding it heavy reading ..... and I have not yet accepted the use of the word 'piracy' in this study ..... in fact it seems meaningless in most cases it has been used so far - at least to me.

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/INTA/studiesdownload.html?languageDocument=EN&file=43731

    Page 7, under Executive Summary ...... "Proponents stressed the need to combat the increase in global piracy and counterfeiting ..... "
    ... which seems to be aimed at actual piracy on the high seas.

    "An increase in piracy and counterfeiting has been documented in several European and international studies" ....... which does not appear to refer to actual piracy ..... but is ambiguous ....

    Then later on P43 ..... referring to an OECD report .... "Finally the report concludes that more needs to be done to detect and undermine counterfeiting and piracy at the point where infringement originates and that action is required to keep the Internet from becoming an even more prominent distribution channel for counterfeit goods and piracy."

    I got totally lost there ........ as I have no idea whatsoever how piracy can be distributed!

    Searching for 'piracy' in the document I note he uses "digital piracy" on P45 ..... and I have no idea what that means either ....... remembering this is a professional study!

    That word 'piracy' is strewn about very liberally .... "copyright piracy" .. Huh? ... "software piracy" ....

    So, having scanned the document it appears the writer/s is using 'piracy' in place of infringement in some places .... e.g "copyright piracy" in place of "copyright infringement"
    .... and in other places I am unsure what should be used.

    I only know that "piracy" in completely inappropriate where used in this document.

    To say I am disgusted is to understate it.
    That the Eu Parliament paid for this study and accepted it, is very worrying.
    The use of such terms as 'piracy' where infringement (for instance) is the correct term, serves only to influence the reader very negatively ....... as I believe it is supposed to.

    Nonetheless I will eventually read it all I guess .... in spite of my absolute objection to the terminology used.

    /rant


  • #94
    Cosmo0o
    Registered Users Posts: 25 ✭Cosmo0o


    I am curious to know any updates about this topic

    Thanks


  • #95
    croo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 1,333 Mod ✭✭✭✭croo


    Cosmo0o wrote: »
    I am curious to know any updates about this topic

    Thanks
    My understanding was that Sean Sherlock (Labour), Minister of Technology, introduced the law as a "Statutory Instrument" thereby bypassing the Dail - and allowing our elected representatives to weasel out of voting.


  • #96
    gavmcg92
    Registered Users Posts: 5,316 ✭✭✭gavmcg92


    croo wrote: »
    My understanding was that Sean Sherlock (Labour), Minister of Technology, introduced the law as a "Statutory Instrument" thereby bypassing the Dail - and allowing our elected representatives to weasel out of voting.

    That's correct. After quite a strong backlash against the minister and extra time given to the debate in the dail, the amendment was passed without a vote.
    Nothing has been heard of since.

    Last I heard, EMI had given a list of 260 sites to the Irish courts that they wanted blocked by Irish ISPs


  • Advertisement
  • #97
    bealtine
    Registered Users Posts: 4,050 ✭✭✭bealtine


    gavmcg92 wrote: »

    Last I heard, EMI had given a list of 260 sites to the Irish courts that they wanted blocked by Irish ISPs

    Wait didn't Sherlock assure us that wasn't going to happen?


  • #98
    gavmcg92
    Registered Users Posts: 5,316 ✭✭✭gavmcg92


    bealtine wrote: »
    Wait didn't Sherlock assure us that wasn't going to happen?

    We all knew exactly what was going to happen. Welcome to a world of censorship.

    http://torrentfreak.com/music-biz-wants-to-block-pirate-bay-plus-260-additional-sites-130105/


  • #99
    bealtine
    Registered Users Posts: 4,050 ✭✭✭bealtine


    gavmcg92 wrote: »
    We all knew exactly what was going to happen. Welcome to a world of censorship.

    http://torrentfreak.com/music-biz-wants-to-block-pirate-bay-plus-260-additional-sites-130105/

    Exactly:)

    These blocks tend to get out of hand once they start..."think of the children" or the rabbits or whatever is the cause du jour. All in all it's just a smokescreen to block things the gov don't like or in this case to give control of the net to corporates.

    The music "industry" has even been attempting (and succeeding) to block documentaries about how the internet works, people might find out how to do stuff they don't like.


    Look at what has happened in Australia:
    http://www.news.com.au/technology/asic-stuff-up-marks-the-return-of-internet-filtering-experts-say/story-e6frfro0-1226645178443#ixzz2TW3ENfLc


  • #100
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,985 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    gavmcg92 wrote: »
    We all knew exactly what was going to happen. Welcome to a world of censorship.

    http://torrentfreak.com/music-biz-wants-to-block-pirate-bay-plus-260-additional-sites-130105/

    That was Jan 5th ....... was there anything relevant since?
    Were all the 260 unnamed sites blocked?

    Obviously I missed any outcome ....

    :(


  • #101
    gavmcg92
    Registered Users Posts: 5,316 ✭✭✭gavmcg92


    Johnboy1951 wrote: »
    That was Jan 5th ....... was there anything relevant since?
    Were all the 260 unnamed sites blocked?

    Obviously I missed any outcome ....

    :(

    Unfortunately news like this goes under the radar and there are very few sources of information on this. I only have that one source for news on copyright issues. I'm not entirely sure how you would get information directly from the courts in relation to the outcome of that case.

    EDIT: Here is a thread in relation to that case


  • Advertisement
  • #102
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,985 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    gavmcg92 wrote: »
    Unfortunately news like this goes under the radar and there are very few sources of information on this. I only have that one source for news on copyright issues. I'm not entirely sure how you would get information directly from the courts in relation to the outcome of that case.

    EDIT: Here is a thread in relation to that case

    Thanks .... but unfortunately no info about the situation posted there :(

    It seems no one knows what those blocked sites are?
    (except maybe the minister & ISPs)


  • #103
    bealtine
    Registered Users Posts: 4,050 ✭✭✭bealtine


    gavmcg92 wrote: »
    Unfortunately news like this goes under the radar and there are very few sources of information on this. I only have that one source for news on copyright issues. I'm not entirely sure how you would get information directly from the courts in relation to the outcome of that case.

    EDIT: Here is a thread in relation to that case

    The media (in general) are in favour of the blocks so don't really report on the issue, just like they are in favour of other more topical things and do not report on those issues either...


  • #104
    gavmcg92
    Registered Users Posts: 5,316 ✭✭✭gavmcg92


    bealtine wrote: »
    The media (in general) are in favour of the blocks so don't really report on the issue, just like they are in favour of other more topical things and do not report on those issues either...

    What's interesting as well, is that the instrument would have gone unreported if it wasn't for TJ McIntyre and individuals signing that petition.


  • #105
    deckybarr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 87 ✭✭deckybarr


    gavmcg92 wrote: »
    We all knew exactly what was going to happen. Welcome to a world of censorship.

    http://torrentfreak.com/music-biz-wants-to-block-pirate-bay-plus-260-additional-sites-130105/

    They managed to get the pirate bay blocked. Irish ISPs are no longer allowed to provide access to the pirate bay.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22888851


    I feel another campaign coming...


  • #106
    Grudaire
    Registered Users Posts: 3,620 ✭✭✭Grudaire


    I wonder will they try and push it further than The Pirate Bay now that they know they can?


  • #107
    googled eyes
    Registered Users Posts: 4,629 ✭✭✭googled eyes


    http://www.techspot.com/news/52789-eu-may-ban-isps-from-throttling-blocking-sites-as-net-neutrality-talks-underway.html

    EU may ban ISPs from throttling, blocking sites as net neutrality talks underway
    By Rick Burgess
    On June 4, 2013, 4:30 PM
    Comments 6


    In a move to bolster net neutrality across Europe, EU officials are discussing plans which would prohibit ISPs from blocking or throttling online sites and services. Currently, the Netherlands is one of the few areas to implement their own strict net neutrality policies; the vast majority of EU countries do not.



    In speech addressed to the European parliament in Brussels, the European Commission's Digital Agenda VP Neelie Kroes argued that "some ISPs deliberately degrade" and even outright block network services like Skype and Whatsapp for anti-competitive reasons. Kroes is looking to regulators to craft policies which curb these dubious practices without stifling competition and innovation but meanwhile encouraging transparency and consumer choice.

    "But equally it's clear to me that many Europeans expect protection against such commercial tactics. And that is exactly the EU safeguard we will be providing. A safeguard for every European, on every device, on every network: a guarantee of access to the full and open internet, without any blocking or throttling of competing services."

    Source: EC Digital Agenda VP Neelie Kroes
    ISPs often argue a legitimate need to prioritize certain types of network traffic over others, a practice which is often referred to as traffic shaping. Analyzing data packets to judge their network importance and prioritizing them accordingly is a useful tool for halting service-crippling DDoS attacks and ensuring latency-sensitive services like Vo-IP operate smoothly.

    If all goes well and Kroes' recommendations take wing with EU lawmakers, a set of fully fleshed-out regulations still may not be in place across EU member states until 2015.

    Net neutrality and what it should mean precisely has remained a contentious issue since Comcast was accused of throttling P2P network traffic in 2007. In the U.S, the FCC released a set of guidelines in 2010 in an effort to promote net neutrality, but a federal court ruled that the FCC did not have the power to enforce such rules.

    A few web papers have noted this story .


  • #108
    gavmcg92
    Registered Users Posts: 5,316 ✭✭✭gavmcg92


    Cliste wrote: »
    I wonder will they try and push it further than The Pirate Bay now that they know they can?

    I really hope they have to do each of those websites on that infamous 260 site list individually in court. That should take them a while. Or will we see them granted permission to shut down proxy sites to The Pirate Bay like their friends over in the UK are doing.
    This makes me really mad. The power the music and film industry has is ridiculous!


  • #109
    bealtine
    Registered Users Posts: 4,050 ✭✭✭bealtine


    gavmcg92 wrote: »
    I really hope they have to do each of those websites on that infamous 260 site list individually in court. That should take them a while.

    They've agreed a protocol for blocking random sites...no details available


  • #110
    gavmcg92
    Registered Users Posts: 5,316 ✭✭✭gavmcg92


    bealtine wrote: »
    They've agreed a protocol for blocking random sites...no details available

    Absolutely ridiculous!

    So they now have a direct line to the courts to shut down whatever they please. You have something on your page that they don't like? You're gone! Exactly what we said would happen which was completely ignored by Sean Sherlock and Co.


  • #111
    Amirani
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Amirani


    gavmcg92 wrote: »
    Absolutely ridiculous!

    So they now have a direct line to the courts to shut down whatever they please. You have something on your page that they don't like? You're gone! Exactly what we said would happen which was completely ignored by Sean Sherlock and Co.

    Our only hope is some EU intervention or else making it a big enough issue that the next Government do something about it.


  • Advertisement
  • #112
    croo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 1,333 Mod ✭✭✭✭croo


    Until they're willing to block google I don't think it'll make a whole lot of difference what domain names they block!

    But is this really a discussion for the Open Source forum?


  • #113
    PDD
    Registered Users Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭PDD


    Croo with the statement "Until they're willing to block Google I don't think it'll make a whole lot of difference what domain names they block!" I think your either over simplifying the point or just simply don't understand whats happening.

    As for Google they are just as guilty as any of these sites that are being targeted they just are a step removed (by not organizing content) and operating in a parallel universe of 'safe harbour'.

    Im assuming this latest ruling is based on the new 'legislation' brought in under the muppet Sean Sherlock? Didn't he publicly admit that he didn't even read through the complete text of the legislation before signing it?

    Probably the quickest way is a High Court challenge that would enforce the already established precedent that internet access is a human right according to the ECJ and as a result forcing Ireland to bring out legislation in line. Otherwise we could be waiting for a decade plus before it is even reviewed by the High Court here. Oh common law how retarded are thee.


  • #114
    PDD
    Registered Users Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭PDD


    croo wrote: »
    My understanding was that Sean Sherlock (Labour), Minister of Technology, introduced the law as a "Statutory Instrument" thereby bypassing the Dail - and allowing our elected representatives to weasel out of voting.

    Indeed that’s an old trick - Oh something contentions that we might not be able to sweep through with our party whip non-sense and will have blow back from the citizenry as they are affected by it. I think he also later publicly admitted to never having the read the text in full before signing it.

    Also if you want to see a pattern have a look at when and how the copyright laws in Sweden and Spain came about and were recently updated. We have a cabinet full of spineless cowards!

    And stuck with them because of this non-sense that is called "democracy" when it is about far from it as you can get.


  • #115
    deckybarr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 87 ✭✭deckybarr


    I've found the answer: Piratebrowser

    It's the new internet browser from the piratebay. It's essentially a firefox based browser with added Tor client (for anonymous browsing) which can get around restrictions imposed by governments like ours.

    This can be used for accessing sites that you government doesn't want you to and keep you anonymous at the same time.

    Here is a link to the website:

    http://piratebrowser.com/

    Please everyone download this, email the website with an explanation to everyone you know, talk about it on twitter, facebook etc. Try to get the whole country using this and show Sherlock that he can't **** with our internet!


  • #116
    digner
    Site Banned Posts: 3 ✭digner


    deckybarr wrote: »
    I've found the answer: Piratebrowser

    It's the new internet browser from the piratebay. It's essentially a firefox based browser with added Tor client (for anonymous browsing) which can get around restrictions imposed by governments like ours.

    This can be used for accessing sites that you government doesn't want you to and keep you anonymous at the same time.

    Here is a link to the website:

    http://piratebrowser.com/

    Please everyone download this, email the website with an explanation to everyone you know, talk about it on twitter, facebook etc. Try to get the whole country using this and show Sherlock that he can't **** with our internet!

    PirateBrowser does not provide anonymity to its users.


  • #117
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,985 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    have a look at vpnbook .... there is a free option which seems to work very well for browsing.

    Also you should be aware of this question about the service

    http://www.bestvpn.com/blog/7168/anonymous-accuses-vpnbook-of-being-a-honeypot/


  • #118
    deckybarr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 87 ✭✭deckybarr


    digner wrote: »
    PirateBrowser does not provide anonymity to its users.

    Yeah, sorry, you're right. It doesn't provide anonymity. The Tor client it just to access the censored sites. They say that using the Tor client all the time would slow it down considerably.

    Within 3 days of release the piratebrowser had reached 100,000 downloads.

    http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bays-anti-clocks-100000-downloads-in-three-days-130813/


Advertisement