Anti-ACTA group says campaign will continue
The Malta Anti-ACTA group said today that the fact that new digital rights will be enshrined 'in the Constitution' was a positive step for Maltese society.
Nonetheless one still had to see what these digital rights would translate to in practice and the time frame for their implementation.
"These rights will only be effective if they guarantee basic freedoms, such as the right not to be disconnected from the internet, and the right not to have one's internet privacy violated. It is also important for any Constitutional amendment not to include elements which would unacceptably regulate the internet as a side effect."
Despite this positive step, the group said that opposition to the ACTA treaty was not based only on the issue of digital rights. Many concerns remained unaddressed, such as dangers to the availability of medicines for developing countries, as well as the disagreement with the present nature of intellectual property rights.
"The campaign against ACTA will thus continue, and representatives in the National and European Parliament are still being urged to reject the treaty." the group said.
The group held a protest against ACTA on Saturday morning. On Saturday afternoon, the prime minister said he had issued instructions for the drafting of a law to guarantee rights for internet users.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Marsa murder - Police looking...
Update 2: Three arrests after flamingo...
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
Update 4 - Eddie Fenech Adami stable...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Updated - Two bodies, capsized boat,...
Franco Mercieca doing routine eye ops at...
In Discussion
Update 2: Three arrests after flamingo...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
Chinese company to study Malta-Gozo...
Franco Mercieca doing routine eye ops at...
Updated - PM reacts to Labour anger on...
No appeals board for first part of power...
Updated - PM comments as Franco Mercieca...
BBC site highlights illegal hunting in Malta
49 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
JanDDragon Longhurst
Feb 14th 2012, 23:37
No No NO and No to Acta simples!
Lino Fava
Feb 14th 2012, 10:37
Jo Grima your ways of answering resembles the way your masters teach you to answer. When your master encounter a journalist he would be rude not to answer. Thats what you did. Is it true? You do the opposite of what you say as usual.
Mark Frankalanza
Feb 14th 2012, 08:21
Li kieku kellhom itellghu lil kulhadd li sema diska mp3 ikkupjata jew qatt f hajjtu ra xi DVD ikkupjat / downloadjat, kieku LIL KULHADD intellghu il qorti. U din tapplika ukoll ghal min hawn taht qed jitkaza b xi haga li probabbli xi darba jew ohra ghamel hu stess.
Christine Fenech
Feb 13th 2012, 21:12
To all the ppl who are saying ACTA is good, are all insane!!! they do no know and plus, have not read behind the lines!!!! YES it is true that downloading is a crime, i agree in that way, BUT BUT BUT do they not know that this will even stop the students from letting them learn!!! let me explain why....... so i am student..... lets say i like to use Wikipedia for information.............. so i copy and paste it on to my sheet and then read it so i can translate into my words (so let me make u understand more.... i COPY .... PASTE which by the way NOW through ACTA is a crime) for me it is easier to copy, paste then read and do it in my words then to having to switch all the time from my words sheet to the internet browser!!!! oh and plus AGAIN TO THE PPL WHO ARE SAYING ACTA IS GOOD...... have none of you.... come on be honest... NEVER EVER DOWNLOADED??? HA HA HA you are laughing and spitting in your own reflection!!! so you are also saying that your children have never saved you money from downloading, instead of buying a €12 cd or a €20 dvd!!! come on guys?!!! don't forget that i did say that downloading was a crime...... but so is copying and pasting to make your children's charts and assignments is too going to be a crime!!! so lets thank the PM now shall we!!!! lets see who is right now shall we?!!!!! i guess you will still thank him after that, coz your going to be the one who is going to spend more money HAHAHAAAA
let me make it easier for the ignorant ppl to underdstand................... if my child comes from school and says " mum, the teacher wants me to make a chart about the weather".................... and we want to use the internet...... so we are going to search for clouds......... so we copy and paste........ and make a beautiful essay with all the information ........... ok? YOU CAN'T!!!!!! coz copy and pasting are a ACTA CRIME !!!!! so please be sensible to the students and your children ACTA is no good!!! read the Wikipedia law of ACTA before you say welldone for ACTA!!
and anyway at the end, this is not a political matter, yes i agree that this has happened behind our backs, but do not forget, that we are a part of the EU......... its what they decide that we have to do, so the ppl who are against ACTA, are most properly the ppl who voted for the EU anyway!!! i don't give a dam about politics..... i just see what is right and wrong and which way goes favourite to me..... so do not judge me on politics............ this silence about the ACTA has happened in all countries and most probably Mr. PM had to remain silent about it!!! these laws that the PM is concluding is probably a load of crap coz the way he is saying is impossible, and 1/2 of them go against the ACTA LAW AGREEMENT................. so.................. its back to encyclopedia..... photo copys and photos.......... thanks we have just gone back 20yrs!!!!!
JUST READ ACTA LAW on WIKIPEDIA
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 14th 2012, 10:58
"JUST READ ACTA LAW on WIKIPEDIA"
tell me which part of wikipedia article says that copy and paste is illegal...
Joseph Brincat
Feb 13th 2012, 18:49
JOSEPH AQUILINA.
IT'S NOT FAIR DOWNLOADING FOR FREE ,
but they could BLOCK that site so NO one could download it ,
NOT the other way round by watching everyone's computer
to SEE what they are doing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joseph Brincat
Feb 13th 2012, 19:44
@ Joseph Aquilina
One fine day while ( browsing over the internet ) walking down the street I found a DVD,
and I took it home, and while I was watching it the POLICE came in, and they sad that
it was a copyright so they said that I AM A CRIMINAL >>>> IS IT FAIR ??????????
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 13th 2012, 20:15
@Joseph Brincat
Did you find the DVD or you "went looking" for the DVD? ...
Joseph Brincat
Feb 13th 2012, 20:40
@ Joseph Aquilina
I was not looking for it ,
I was just browsing over the internet and I found that dvd !!!
Joseph Brincat
Feb 13th 2012, 20:58
@ Joseph Aquilina
SO , IF THAT BLOCKED THAT SITE I WOULDN'T FIND THAT > DVD
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 14th 2012, 10:59
@Joseph Brincat
The law is meant to find those who upload content.
Andy Farrugia
Feb 13th 2012, 18:36
Prosit, ghandna 400 jew 500 hallelin u pirati u jridu li tghaddi taghhom! Interessanti din!
Roderick Micallef
Feb 13th 2012, 19:10
Andy,
La tidhol l-ACTA u l-pulizija u l-gvern ikollhom dritt joqoghdu jicekjawlek l-emails u kull website li tidhol fihom biex jaraw x'int tibghat u x'int tara, sib lil dawn 400 jew 500 hallelin u ghidilhom Sorry kellkhom ragun! L-ACTA mhijiex biex kontra d-downloading biex tkun cara l-bicca. Ezempju zghir ha naghti. Jekk xi hadd ikollu video ta' party tat-tfal tieghu u fil-background ikun hemm diska u l-video jigi uploaded youtube, facebook jew ximkien dak bl-ACTA ga jibla multa ghax ma halasx il-copyright! Andy, please fittex sew qabel tigudika.
Andy Farrugia
Feb 13th 2012, 19:46
@ Roderick Micallef
Iddahhaqnix! M'intix tara, qed nara l-pulizija zghar diga fuq il-monitor, qishom gremlins. Jaqaw qrajt il-Montebello il-bierah, jew?
Anthony Fenech
Feb 13th 2012, 19:50
Andy,jekk forsi int mintix wiehed min dawk li kultant jiehdu gost jimlew cd bdiski mghazula ghal gosti tahhom ghal uzu personali,xorta ma narax lok li taghjjarom pirati u hallelin.Wara kollox kullhad ihallas ghal luzu ta' l-internet allura hadd mu jiehu xejn b'xejn.
J. Mifsud
Feb 13th 2012, 20:17
Halliel min seraqlek il vot u min wara darek mar ifirma tratat biex inaqaslek il-liberta.
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 13th 2012, 20:21
@Anthony Fenech
"kullhad ihallas ghal luzu ta' l-internet allura hadd mu jiehu xejn b'xejn"
You said that comment as a joke. Please tell me you said that as a joke. What does "paying to have access to the Internet" have to do with "paying for an object available though the Internet". It is as if saying it is fine to use some else car without permission since after all you pay the road licence!! Please!
Anthony Fenech
Feb 14th 2012, 11:23
@joseph aquilina.To make it more easy for you to understand,i was saying its like when you pay a fee in a club you will be entitled to use their facilities.So in your opinion what is left to desire in internet browsing.Guess there are many who will cancel their internet connection and return back to dictioneries and encyclopedias.
Lino Fava
Feb 13th 2012, 17:24
Don't trust what he says what he really does. He does exactly opposite of what he says. We have a prime minister that his tongue commands him and have no control on it.
Jo Grima
Feb 13th 2012, 21:37
please....take some English language lessons !!
J.C. Borg
Feb 13th 2012, 16:51
Seeing this Agreement taunted with politics I have lost interest in it.
C. K. Barbara
Feb 13th 2012, 17:10
That is why there is a hidden agenda and we want to know what the big brothers sold to our so called politicans to make them sign blindly
J. Mifsud
Feb 13th 2012, 20:15
You cannot lose interest where your interests are concerened. What really pleased me last Saturday was watching politicians listening to talks given by young ordinary people. The cherry on the cake came later in the evening watching the Prime Minister giving in to pressure made by these same ordinary youths. This is the type of politics I want to see, where the ordinary people in the street are listened to by the powers that be.
Prosit anti ACTA movement - Calling you ordinary is a misnomer you should be called Extraordinary , Well done!
Francis Attard
Feb 13th 2012, 16:17
http://blip.tv/michaelgeist/the-truth-about-acta-3490976
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 13th 2012, 14:34
Let us imagine there is a book writer, far from famous, but with a lot of imagination. He spends a lot of a time writing a very nice book. He spends even more time finding a publisher for this book. The publisher accepts to print and sell the book. One fine day while browsing over the Internet this writer finds HIS WORK AVAILABLE FOR FREE AS A PDF FROM ONE OF THESE DOWNLOAD SITES! Is this fair? Is it fair that the person hosting this file is doing money from the adverts while the person who actually wrote the book is doing none because his book is available for free? So is ACTA so bad? … keeping in mind that copyright laws already exist and have been around for hundreds of years now!!
Zagroma Savrene
Feb 13th 2012, 17:12
Yes, it's fair. Because if his work is available as a pdf for free, people who cannot afford/would not buy otherwise have the option to still read the author's work. This leads to an increase in the author's popularity, which means more people are aware of this author of his work, and increases the number of people who would choose to buy his work thanks to the people1 person who decided to download the work for free.
So therefore, the author could easily end up making more money thanks to someone who made his work available for free.
PS: Buying/downloading a BOOK in digital format is stupid. Books are meant to be read an enjoyed in paper format.
Mr Conrad Fenech
Feb 13th 2012, 18:52
Ever heard of the author Paulo Coelho?
You might want to check what he thinks about piracy. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/feb/01/paulo-coelho-readers-pirate-books
Mr Joe Micallef
Feb 13th 2012, 19:37
Zagroma Savrene - You really must be kidding!
Conrad Fenech - It's easy, and maybe even convenient, for Coelho to say so now when he does not exactly need to sell any books
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 13th 2012, 20:04
@Zagroma Savrene
Then I guess you do not have a problem to work for free as long as your employer "pays you" by talking about you to his family and friends. Maybe your salary is made from the number of Likes you get on your facebook page!? I guess when you get an electricity bill you send them back a link to your facebook page and write “see how many people know me”!!
… and btw; what about the publishing house!! ahhhh yes let's talk about them; I am sure that that will be enough to pay off the investment they made!!
@Mr Conrad Fenech
Quoting the article ...
“The more people 'pirate' a book, the better. If they like the beginning, they'll buy the whole book the next day, because there's nothing more tiring than reading long screeds of text on a computer screen.”
I can't wait to see his surprised look when they'll tell him all about Kindle!
PS: Reading books on a Kindle like device means less trees being cut!!
Christine Fenech
Feb 13th 2012, 22:38
I personally think that you have not read the ACTA laws on Wikipedia.... I think that you are far from understanding the wrongs and right to the ACTA agreements! Ok, so what i can understand from your comment is that you are saying, that this guy writes a nice book, and the publisher has printed it, so he has already became famous to the people who liked his book......... so as i see it........ another guy, puts up his book as a PDF file and another crowd of people starts reading it...... so he starts getting more famous coz he has a bigger crowd that want him to write more books, which then his other book will get published starts to get more famous and so on so on.............. do you know that most artists are famous from the little things like downloading and hits (ex. you tube)! do you know that Justin Bieber is one of them and has more money than a maltese artist can ever imagine (i am not a fan), but just giving you an example!!!! Do you not read and think before you speak Mr. Aquilina?!!!
ACTA is good in many ways, for paedophiles, perverts, Animal abuse and Downloading for commercial abuse!!!! But it has far more bad for those who, lets say i buy a compilation CD that has 1/2 of the songs that i don't want to even hear, so i bought a €12 CD and wasted €6!!
Are you even going to try to tell me that you have never downloaded to save money and get the music that YOU like to hear!!! and if you have children, maybe a teenager who likes music...... have you stopped him/her from downloading, coz it is against the law PLUS saving you heaps of money!!! HAHAHA!!!
Well let me explain this to you...... my son comes home and says 'Mum, my teacher wants me to do a project about .... ERM lets say JAPAN!!!! so we find information and photos.... copy and paste images to power point..... DING DONG ...... COPY AND PASTE are now illegal due to ACTA LAW.......... thanks so we have gone back 20yrs... back to photocopies, encyclopaedias and photos!!! GREAT!!!!
The PM is saying that ACTA will not affect teaching or private conversations..... but if you read ACTA laws on Wikipedia, 1/2 the things the PM is saying can NOT be agreed due to the fact that they discriminate the laws of ACTA. Everyone will be monitored..... from private use to commercial use (which i do agree on commercial use).
And at the end of the day do you think that if the artists wanted to sue the companies for giving there music for free....... they wouldn't have already done it!!!!! No THEY WON'T!!! why you ask? because its from free downloading and listening that they become more and more famous everyday!!!!
So please think and read ACTA LAW on Wikipedia before you speak and comment!!!
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 14th 2012, 10:24
@Christine Fenech
“Do you not read and think before you speak Mr. Aquilina?!!!”
You should ask that to yourself since it is clear you do not have a single idea of what copyright means. What licensed work means. Did the person who uploaded the book as PDF (to be freely downloaded by potential millions) ASK FOR PERMISSION TO THE AUTHOR OR PUBLISHING HOUSE? It is shameful that you go to such extent as to “paint” the person who uploaded the work ILLEGALLY as doing a favor to the author and publishing house (an entity which many are forgetting). How does that person know he is doing a favour or not? How did you assume the author was already famous? How can you be sure that someone who reads his book over the internet will go and buy it? How? How?
“Mum, my teacher wants me to do a project about .... ERM lets say JAPAN!”
You should teach your son how to read, write what he read in his own words and reference the work, not how to copy and paste.
“And at the end of the day do you think that if the artists wanted to sue the companies for giving their music for free....... they wouldn't have already done it”
“Heavy metal band Metallica discovered that a demo of their song ‘I Disappear’ had been circulating across the network, even before it was released. This eventually led to the song being played on several radio stations across the United States and brought to Metallica’s attention that their entire back catalogue of studio material was also available. The band responded in 2000 by filing a lawsuit against Napster.” [Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napster] <- this is a very simple example of what referencing means.
“So please think and read ACTA LAW on Wikipedia before you speak and comment!!!”
Read about license and copyright laws (and “how to reference”) before you speak and comment…
Christine Fenech
Feb 14th 2012, 22:03
@Mr. Joseph Aquilina
About the artist you keep on mentioning..... I Tunes, Android and Kendall sell there books on-line only by the artists permission..... If they are free to download from these sites then it is from the artists permission........ I did not say that i was 100% against ACTA.... ACTA is good in many ways........ only in the ways i have explained!!! For you it might be shameful Mr. Aquilina...... but as i see it.... a NOBODY BECOMES A SOMEBODY just like , as i said, Justin Bieber!!!! Nobody in this world works for free, like you mentioned to someone else, i don't..... but it is a free advert for people like this artist.... and anyway if he is a little infamous artist like you mentioned..... then the books didn't sell very well did they? so i bet they did him a big favour doing it for him, just to keep his name going!!!! and how do u know it wasn't himself who did it? Do you know that Lady GAGA released one of her hits FREE to download ON I TUNES?!!!!
Metalica had a right to do it, of course it was a single that wasn't out yet, so yes I agree with that........ but explain this to me..... why don't they stop the other sites that have there music as well?!!! why don't the other artists do it then???? they have the money and the right to do it!! i tell you why.......... BECAUSE THEY BECOME MORE FAMOUS AND GET A BIGGER CROWD AND GET MORE POPULAR AND GET MORE AND MORE MONEY!!!!
So let me ask u a question mr. Aquilina, If they are free to download from other sites, wouldn't you be one of the people who download it? come on be honest!!!
And yes i would teach my child how to read and put it in his own words OF COURSE, but from where the hell do i get the photos? do i go to japan? explain it to me.................. so i am right then, its back to encyclopaedias! 20 yrs back, back to my school days!!! if you dont have the patience to read, search other sites with ACTA copy and paste......... there are loads!!!
Alot of sites are going to shut down due to the fact that ACTA is in europe, i agree.. why not!!!! Alot of DVD shops in Malta have closed down because of the constant abuse of downloading............ I was one of the people who spent an enormous amount of money renting dvds and games......... BUT do you think it is fair that i go to a dvd shop and want a recent Movie to watch that night and they tell me its out, come back tomorrow???!!!! is that freaking' fair??????? OR they give you a copy!!!! and i still have to pay €1.20 for it!!!!!! I think not and you be an idiot not to agree with me!!!
The ACTA law says that even a little person like myself will be watched, WHY? if the items are free to get ... why not shut down the sites instead of making people terrified and upset due to the FACT that they are being monitored!!!
With all the things you are saying Mr. Aquilina, you wouldn't mind it, if the government or E.U decided to put up cameras in your home and stay watching every move you made?!!! You never know what there next move is, so watch it!! THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK
Kind Regards,
Mrs. Christine Rogers
mario gellel
Feb 13th 2012, 14:31
AND WHO VOTED BEHIND OUR BACKS TO TAKE OUR RIGHTS ???? GONZIPN.
Zagroma Savrene
Feb 13th 2012, 17:12
+ the rest of the international governments who also voted behind their people's backs.
J. Mifsud
Feb 13th 2012, 20:03
Zagroma Savrene - Since our government did like some of the EU governments, he can now copy some more and halt ratification because there was not enough consultation before signing the ratification.
C. K. Barbara
Feb 13th 2012, 14:14
Downloading should be tackled as drug cases are. We tackle the drug trafficker not the user. The same with illegal downloading you trace the uploader not the downloader. You trace the seller of copied material not the buyer. The uploader and the seller make money without license and permit to do so, on this material. Current laws are already in force for such acts what is needed to be done is better monitoring at stall markets and do not permit in the first place sites that facilitate such up illegal uploading without harming legal uploading. Make stricter domain registrations and introduce probation periods with new domains. Ripping is a feature embedded in Windows and other operating systems that gives the right of owner of a purchased media to digitize it into a file format that if needed it can be uploaded easily. The purchaser decided that he should upload it to an online file server or to a pen drive or to an e-mail or to his smart phone so he can carry it around with him and be more mobile which is required in today’s fast life. With ACTA this is illegal! After it this prepare for D.U.M.B – Donkey Universal Machine Bill – A bill to enable engineers to develop a machine that can dumb us down globally!
C. K. Barbara
Feb 13th 2012, 14:13
Do you know what this ACTA means to the world economy!! The only business that always profits year after year and makes good for other failing areas in the world is ICT Services and Consumer Electronics. Now with ACTA we will see another recession that can lead to world poverty. We will enter another age of darkness were only the rich, celebrities will afford entertainment but yet again it could also reveal the decline in celebrities with this ACTA. Why?? Let’s just use the term Download. The economy depends on downloading because without it why do we need a smart phone an not just a plain old cell phone, why do I need a tablet when I cannot see you tube cause all there is in it according to ACTA are illegal. Why do I need the internet with 150GB download why do I need the internet after all? If I just need to read text and send a message we can go back to terminals. Smart TVs who needs them if I cannot free clips. What is internet without entertainment? If I am going to pay to see a film why am I paying to have the service as well? We are killing our economies!! What would happen if there is restrictive downloading you think the current celebrities will still enjoy stardom when half of the world population is longer listening to them because they are to expensive. Let’s face it; half of the current celebrities would not be famous if there was no illegal downloading. The people who invented this act who are the money lenders to music and movie producers will back stab themselves as well as the main income now a days are concerts and shows not the selling of CDs/DVDs therefore if there is less people to hear the music as now they are restrictive to middle and poor families then less income to them as well and less sale on merchandise. SO WAKE AND SMELL YOUR OWN COFFEE BEFORE YOU START BREWING! NO TO ACTA!
Anthony Fenech
Feb 13th 2012, 19:56
VERY WELL SAID.I FOR ONE TOTALY AGREE.
Billie Watson
Feb 13th 2012, 13:57
Fair play to the Maltese they are sticking to their guns, i'll d the same if it were me and join them. Things seems to be changing in Malta where as before most were afriad to protest now they have seen the light. I salute them.
C. K. Barbara
Feb 13th 2012, 16:43
I wish I was among them but was not able to. I work in IT not just a random user and I know what ACTA could impose in the practice of this field.
anthony bartolo
Feb 13th 2012, 21:37
We will soon hold a protest for NOT PROTESTING.
Anthony Castillo
Feb 13th 2012, 13:11
This means that the Anti-Acta group agrees of leting the thieves get into our houses and take what they want and also a country like China in steeling the inventions that other countries mainly the EU and the United States by investing all the money to create these inventions and a country like China without investing any money they could do the same by copyigIng the invention for nothing which also could couse of loosing the jobs in a country like ours. That means could be the creation of unemployment.
T Gauci
Feb 13th 2012, 19:07
No that means you agree to allow unauthorized people to breach my right of privacy.
Ramon Casha
Feb 13th 2012, 19:11
Wrong. The Anti-Acta group is against forcing everyone to deposit a copy of their house keys with a group of strangers who will be able to walk in and search for and destroy anything they object to in the owner's absence.
PS: Acta threatens thousands of Maltese jobs in the Freeport and Pharmaceutical industry.
Get informed instead of repeating lies.
joseph saliba
Feb 13th 2012, 13:02
While the ACTA agreement is not yet finalised this handful of campaigners are already stamping their feet demanding more with haste. I find them behaving like spoilt ego-centred kids. No matter what, I still hope their reps should give and be given ear to what's in store.
J. Mifsud
Feb 13th 2012, 19:47
These are a handful of campaigners, who know exactly what they are talking about. What did you call the mob outside Parliament on the 26th January?
Stephen Farrugia
Feb 13th 2012, 12:56
Mr Gonzi,
Resign.
Kind regards
Stephen Farrugia
John Zammit
Feb 13th 2012, 17:12
Stephen Farrugia,
You are clearly one of them youths who has no idea what this ACTA is all about but you like the 'cool' factor behind it to go out on the streets and rebel. Get a job and begin contributing to society!
Kind Regards,
John Zammit
Jo Grima
Feb 13th 2012, 21:44
stephen farrugia,
keep dreaming
kind regards
jo grima
Please choose the reason of your report below: