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ISPs could be freed from liability over user copyright abuses

ISPs could be freed from being liable for their users' copyright infringements according to what appears to be a leaked version of a proposed international trade agreement.
Written by Darren Pauli, Contributor

Internet Service Providers may be freed from being liable for their users' copyright infringements in the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), according to what appears to be a leaked version of the agreement.

The ACTA aims to establish international standards on how to enforce intellectual property rights, and has involved countries around the world including Australia. Potential signatories to the agreement, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States and European nations, had previously released a draft text of the agreement in April following a spate of demands from privacy groups and European Union (EU) MPs to increase the level of transparency of ACTA discussions.

The controversial three-strikes rule, already rumored to be dropped, would require ISPs to disconnect subscribers who repeatedly infringe copyright law, liberating copyright-holders from the need to pursue civil action.

For more on this story, read ACTA warms to ISPs? on ZDNet Australia.

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