Ambitious and controversial French anti-piracy bill nearing completion

Ambitious and controversial French anti-piracy proposal nearing completion

The ambitious and controversial French anti-piracy bill is nearing completion. It is likely that the proposal will be submitted to parliament in March. While the Socialist Party is expected to opposse the legislation, the UMP (the party of president Sarkozy) which holds a majority in parliament will most likely vote in favour of the proposal.

The new law would form the basis for a new goverment agency, the Haute Autorité pour la diffusion des œuvres et la protection des droits sur Internet (HADOPI). This organisation will be responsible for managing the ‘graduated response’ system, which is also part of the legislation.

In the French approach to graduated response, notorious up- and downloaders will be disconnected from the internet after ignoring three warnings. Critics of this approach claim the punishment is too hard and violates the constitutional rights of citizens. Supporters of the French approach claim that it is actually less harsh on consumers. Currently consumers face the possibility of criminal prosecution, something that would no longer be necessary when the new legislation is adopted. Furthermore, they feel the new law will provide the necessary space for legal alternatives to become successful.

Source: Intellectual Property Watch