14th May
2013
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French action against internet file sharing is not proving entirely successful
See
article from techdirt.com
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10th July
2013
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DVDs, Blu-Ray, VOD, Sex Toys & Lingerie...
All at great low prices!
mi-porn.com
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France replaces the file sharing deterrent of internet connection with a 1500 Euro fine
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See article
from torrentfreak.com
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After years of debate and controversy the French Government has finally backtracked on the law which allowed errant subscribers to be disconnected from
the Internet. This morning a decree was published which removed the possibility for file-sharers to have their connections cut for copyright infringement. Instead, those caught by rightsholders will now be subjected to a system of automated fines.
The so-called graduated response to the file-sharing issue has for years been championed by the mainstream music and movie industries. One of the first countries to see value in the idea was France, and under the supportive eye of ex-President
Nicolas Sarkozy, Hadopi was born. The taxpayer-funded agency would oversee monitoring of Internet subscribers along with a mechanism for sending them successive warnings, each designed to be more worrying than the last. Controversially, the final warning would
result in Internet disconnection.
However, the idea that these threats would entice subscribers into music and movie stores and away from unauthorized sites in a meaningful way never came to be. In June, a nine-member panel lead by former Canal Plus chairman Pierre Lescure produced a 700
page report on policies for advancing entertainment industries in the digital age. Among other things, the panel concluded that the three strikes mechanism had failed to benefit authorized services as promised. It also recommended that the ultimate sanction
of Internet disconnections for infringers should be dumped.
That recommendation has now been carried out by the French Government. Earlier this morning the Ministry of Culture published official decree No. 0157 of July 9, 2013 which removed the additional misdemeanor punishable by suspension of access to a
communication service. The decree goes on to explain that file-sharing offenses may still be punishable by a fine, up to 1500 euros in the case of gross negligence.
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30th November
2013
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French court demands that search engines delist file sharing sites entirely
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See article
from wired.co.uk
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A French court case dating back to 2011 has concluded that three of the largest search engines in the world must ensure certain piracy websites are removed
entirely from their search results. Media industry trade groups appealed for the complete removal of 16 domains from Google, Bing and Yahoo. All of the domains were variations of video streaming websites Allostreaming, Fifostreaming and Dpstream.
The search engines in question have been ordered to implement all appropriate measures to prevent access... by any effective means, including by blocking domain names , according to a statement released by the High Court. Additionally, specific
ISPs, including Orange, Free, Bouygues Telecom, SFR, Numericable and Darty Telecom have been told to block the websites locally.
The industry groups also pushed for the ISPs and search engines to pay for all of the censorship and blocking methods that will now need to be implemented, however the court refused, stating: The cost of the measures ordered can not be charged to the
defendants who are required to implement them.
Google, Microsoft and Yahoo have been given two weeks to meet the court's demands.
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16th February
2014
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Paris workers censor street art protesting at Hadopi file sharing law
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See article
from torrentfreak.com
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City workers in Paris have been instructed to remove political messages from street art this week, including several paintings protesting against local anti-piracy law Hadopi . Among the targets were several creations by Finnish artist
Sampsa, who painted dozens of anti-Hadopi statements across the city.
One of the works, which displayed the text The Blood Sucking Hadopi alongside a kid being chased by a giant mosquito. The city workers decided that the text went too far and removed it in its entirety. The rest of the mutilated painting
remains in place, although its original message has been completely lost.
The irony of the city's actions is that it has censored an artist who has spoken out against a law that is supposed to protect artists. Needless to say, the move was heavily criticized by many members of the public.
TorrentFreak talked to Sampsa who is disappointed that his work was destroyed, but is also glad for the public support he's received.
Creating street art is simply a tool for activism. I am glad people in France are upset about what happened in Butte aux Cailles -- it shows at least someone is paying attention to certain lines that shouldn't be crossed.
Despite the setbacks Sampsa is not going to stop, on the contrary in fact. The French three-strikes law is about to be transformed into system where alleged file-sharers will receive automatic fines , something the artists is heavily
protesting against.
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19th April
2014
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Bolton Council bans new table dancing venues and sex shops
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See article
from theboltonnews.co.uk
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Bolton Council have a approved a new policy effectively banning new table dancing clubs and sex shops.
Under the guidelines pole dancing clubs, strip shows and sex cinemas will not be allowed to open near schools, houses, parks, tourist attractions, religious buildings or any existing entertainment venues.
Cllr Nick Peel, the member in charge of licensing, said in reality it means new applicants looking to open a sexual entertainment venue in Bolton will find it very difficult. He said:
The criteria doesn't really leave much left in terms of areas.
We have not been overrun with sex applications -- it just doesn't happen -- but the government said we had to have a policy.
Existing establishments will probably be okay with the new rules, as this is not retrospective and they will continue to apply for the licences every year in the usual way.
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