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The ACTA demon rises. Again. And again. And again…

By on July 13, 2014 in Big Business, Intellectual Property, Internet

Two years ago European Parliament killed ACTA, the international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.

The main reason was that ACTA promoted the concept that internet service providers (ISP:s) should police the internet to stop intellectual property infringements (i.e. illegal filesharing of music, film, games and software).

Such practice would be in conflict with the principle that ISP:s are not liable for what their customers (ordinary users) do when using their services. This principle is called “mere conduit” and is regulated in the EU E-Commerce Regulations of 2002.

In the same way the Post Office is not liable for what people send in the mail. This is a very reasonable principle.

If ISP:s where to police what is going on in their cables, they would have to inspect and scrutinize all internet traffic. (E.g. by deep packet inspections.) This would include everything we do online. Everything.

This would be a gigantic and very expensive task. And it would force ISP:s to set up extremely comprehensive terms and conditions for users.

And, of course, this would obstruct free flow of information and curb Internet freedom in an unacceptable way.

So it was a very good thing that the European Parliament killed ACTA. (After widespread public protests.)

But ACTA is not really dead. Every now and then the idea that ISP:s should police the Internet pops up. The intellectual property industry never fails to lobby for it.

The issue will be back on the agenda as the EU rewrites its package of copyright rules 2014-2019. (There might also be a revision of the EU E-Commerce Regulations.) And it seems to return in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership treaty, TTIP.

And right now Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation wants to hold Australian ISP:s responsible for piracy.

This is an ongoing battle, maybe a never ending one. To kill ACTA was an important victory for a free and open Internet. But we must be aware that the IP industry has no intentions of giving up their lobby efforts to get various ACTA clones into legislation and international trade agreements.

/ HAX

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Ex-NSA boss to head cyber command for US banks

By on July 9, 2014 in Big Brother, Big Business, Big Government

Big banks need to protect themselves against cyber attacks. The question is how.

According to Bloomberg the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association is setting up a cyber command committee together with (among others) the Treasury Department, the NSA, the DHS and the White House.

And now it’s getting exciting.

Bloomberg writes…

“The trade association also reveals in the document that Sifma has retained former NSA director Keith Alexander to “facilitate” the joint effort with the government. Alexander, in turn, has brought in Michael Chertoff, the former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, and his firm, Chertoff Group.” (…)

“[Just-retired NSA Boss General Keith] Alexander had been pitching Sifma and other bank trade associations to purchase his services through his new consulting firm, IronNet Cybersecurity Inc., for as much as $1 million per month, according to two people briefed on the talks.”

So, Big Banking just signed up the ex-NSA boss to handle cyber security. The man responsible for the NSA getting totally out of control and violating civil rights. This is cause for concern.

“IronNet”… it even sounds evil.

What could possibly go wrong?

Well… Some US politicians already have concerns that this might evolve to some sort of cyber wars council engaging in pre-emptive strikes.

/HAX

Bloomberg: Banks Dreading Computer Hacks Call for Cyber War Council »

Washington’s Blog: Big Banks Want Power to Declare Cyber War »

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