

France to ban illegal downloaders from using the internet under three-strikes rule - sah
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article4165519.ece

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sealedidentity
This is a dumb idea. Restricting what is quickly becoming one of the
necessities of modern life and learning is a retarded way of dealing with
enforcing copyright. People in the know will start using services such as
relakks and other ssl vpns to hide their ip's. This is going to deter only
superficially.

Way to make a country retarded!

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berryg
Until there is a law that prohibits SSL VPN services or requires them to store
traffic data, etc. etc. Law ultimately dictates what technology can be legally
used.

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BrandonM
The depressing thing is that the government will be spending over $25M per
year of their citizens' money in order to enforce rules that benefit what? 5%
of the population?

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jrockway
More like 0.005%.

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bentoner
Lots more information here (mostly in French):

<http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/actualites/index-9.htm>

At least they recognize this:

 _Until now, when companies defending the interests of creative artists
detected a computer being used for illegal file-sharing, the only option open
to them was to lay the matter before the criminal courts, alleging
infringement of copyright._

 _However, criminal proceedings and the associated penalties (up to three
years imprisonment and a €300,000 fine) are completely disproportionate when
applied to mass illegal downloading._

From: <http://tinyurl.com/5npg7w> [link to PDF on that site]

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cawel
Here is another interesting link (in French):

[http://www.lemonde.fr/web/chat/0,46-0@2-651865,55-1059643@51...](http://www.lemonde.fr/web/chat/0,46-0@2-651865,55-1059643@51-824668,0.html)

It is a chat with Christophe Espern, member of a forum on the rights on
internet, who explains how the new law is not going in favor of the public,
but is rather another tool for major music production/distribution companies.

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Prrometheus
It's things like this that make me an anarchist. I know that theoretically
governments exist because protection services will be underprovided in the
marketplace. But is this "protection"? Is this really for the good of society?
Must we put up with such indignities? Is anarchic capitalism so much worse
that we should never try it?

Also, I doubt that they can effectively enforce this.

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colinplamondon
Yes, I'm sure harsher punishments is what's necessary to change the behavior
of 20% of the country. Can't possibly be that the laws need changing.

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ComputerGuru
This is a good business opportunity to start a VPN service in Korea or
Taiwan...

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sarahfrancesca
That would definitely keep me from illegally downloading...

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pepeto
Depressing news

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GrandMasterBirt
What I like about this is the following: Recording industries retract all laws
regarding media types, once you buy content you are free to convert it as you
please.

This is a step in the right direction. However I am just waiting on people
using ToR and such networks to hide their traffic causing this whole mumbo-
jumbo of a law to become completely useless. Its just necessary to have a
"seamless" integration into your favorite downloading software.

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hatethissite
I hope this renews interest in cryptography and attack resistance in network
applications.

