European divisions over ACTA deepen
Arvamus | 11 Feb 2012  | EWR OnlineEWR
The international copyright treaty is meant to improve the protection of intellectual property. But critics fear the deal could severely restricts Internet freedoms.

Deutsche Welle
Supporters and opponents of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) agree that intellectual property must be protected. But European societies are divided over how this is to be achieved. Recent demonstrations across the continent are proof of the growing opposition towards ACTA. The demonstrators fear the treaty will lead to a curtailing of Internet freedoms.

The treaty aims to improve the enforcement of copyright laws on an international level, hampering counterfeiting of both tangible goods and digital property. Web activists are particularly critical of ACTA because the treaty could result in internet providers monitoring online content on a grand scale. With users easily pinpointed by their IP address, the door would be wide open for comprehensive web surveillance, according to critics.

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Arvamus