ACTA defeated in Europe

Members of European Parliament have sunk the ACTA ship, voting to reject the treaty and make it un-enforceable by member nations. While there is still the potential for countries outside the EU to enact it, it would take a large majority to successfully pass it and with the consensus on the continent, that seems unlikely.

While this positive result for internet freedom was expected due to the sheer scale of the public and political outcry, there was still a chance that it could have ended up as law. In the end though, 478 MEPs rejected it, while a total of 146 abstained from voting; only 39 voted for the bill. While the internet is never short of people willing to pat themselves on the back, those involved with the campaign to halt ACTA should feel free to do so. This was an act that had been in the works for half a decade before it was rushed in on the tail end of SOPA and PIPA controversy.

Despite the masses of backing initially behind it, the public's unified reaction and informative campaign brought ACTA and its lobbyists to their knees.

Ultimately, those interested in preserving freedom of expression on the internet have prevailed. Pirate Party UK leader Loz Kaye said that: “This must signal a start for a new way of doing politics. No more should international agreements be negotiated behind closed doors and simply rubber stamped by parliaments. Policy must become something that happens with the people, not to the people.”

KitGuru says: Perhaps as CISPA becomes a reality politicians will give thought to this idea?

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