- URGENT - VOTING IN EU PARLIAMENT 5th of MAY 2009
- Don't let the EU parliament lock up the Internet! There
will be no way back!
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- Act now!
- Internet access is not conditional
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- Everyone who owns a website has an interest in defending
the free use of Internet... so has everyone who uses Google or Skype...
everyone who expresses their opinions freely, does research of any kind,
whether for personal health problems or academic study ... everyone who
shops online...who dates online...socialises online... listens to music...watches
video...
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- Millions of Europeans now depend on the Internet, directly
or indirectly, for their livelihood. Taking it away, chopping it up, 'restricting
it', 'limiting it' and placing conditions on our use of it, will have a
direct impact on people's earnings. And in the current financial climate,
that can't be good.
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- The internet as we know it is at risk because of proposed
new EU rules going through end of April. Under the proposed new rules,
broadband providers will be legally able to limit the number of websites
you can look
- at, and to tell you whether or not you are allowed to
use particular services. It will be dressed up as 'new consumer options'
which people can choose from. People will be offered TV-like packages -
with a limited
- number of options for you to access.
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- It means that the Internet will be packaged up and your
ability to access and to put up content could be severely restricted. It
will create boxes of Internet accessibility, which don't fit with the way
we use it today. This is because internet is now permitting exchanges between
persons which cannot be controlled or "facilitated" by any middlemen
(the state or a corporation) and this possibility improves the citizen's
life but force the industry to lose power and control. that's why they
are pushing governments to act those changes.
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- The excuse is to control the flow of music, films and
entertainment content against the alleged piracy by downloading for free,
using P2P file-sharing. However, the real victims of this plan will be
all Internet users and the democratic and independent access to information,
culture goods.
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- Think about how you use the Internet! What would it mean
to you if free access to the Internet was taken away?
- These days, the Internet is about life and freedom. It's
about shopping, booking theatre tickets ... holidays, learning, job-seeking,
banking, and trade. It's also about the fun things - dating, chatting,
invitations, music, entertainment, joking and even a Second Life. It is
a tool to express ourselves, to collaborate, innovate, share, stimulate
new business ideas, reach new markets - thrive without middlemen..
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- Just think - what's your web address? Unless people have
that address in their "package" of regular websites - they won't
be able to find you. That means they can't buy, or book, or register, or
even view you online. Your business won't be able to find niche suppliers
of goods - and compare prices. If you get any money at all from advertising
on your site, it will diminish. Yes, Amazon and a select few will be OK,
they will be the included in the package. But your advertising on Google
or any other website, will be increasingly worthless. Skype could be blocked.
(As it is in Germany in the use from iPhone, already). Small businesses
could literally disappear, especially specialist, niche or artisan businesses.
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- If we don't do something now - we could lose free and
open use of the internet. Our freedom (of choice in information, market,
culture, pleasure) will be curtailed. The EU proposals hold an enormous
risk for our future. They are about to become Law - and will be virtually
impossible to reverse. People (even the members of the European Parliament
who are voting on it) don't really seem to understand the full implications
and the legal changes are wrapped up in something called "Telecoms
Package" which lulls people into thinking it is just about industry.
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- However, in reality, hiding from public view, the amendments
are about the way the Internet will operate in future! Text that expresses
your rights to access and distribute content, services and applications,
is being crossed out. And the text that is being brought in, says that
broadband providers must inform you of any limitations, or restrictions
to your broadband service. Alternative versions use the word 'conditions'
- and it is seriously being proposed that you will be told the conditions
of use of Internet services. This is made to sound good - it is dressed
up as 'transparency' - except that of course it means that the broadband
providerwill have the legal right restrict your access or impose conditions,otherwise
why would they need tell you? If the Telecoms Package amendmentsare voted
in, the changes will not be reversible.
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- We all have a stake in the Internet! You need to act
now to save it!
- What can you do about it?
- Tell the European Parliament to vote against conditional
access to the Internet! Remind them that they need your vote in June and
that internet still give us the tools to be watching and judging what they
are doing! (link a la quadrature du net) You must know you are not alone:
hundreds of organizations are working on that and thousands of people have
already contact their parliamentarians about this issue.
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- So, act now:
- 1 - Email, write to or phone your MEP - follow this link
to get their details - a suggested template letter is attached. You can
also use the following software that send the letter directly to all the
parliamentarians. Believe, they will really receive it and they will really
feel the pressure. You are welcome to personalize the letter and include
information that will make MEPs wake up, take note and take appropriate
action.
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- 2 - Forward this email to everyone you know so that they
can take action.
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- 3 - Syndicate this page so that you keep been informed:
disinformation is what they count on, we must be aware. Text for people
to cut and paste to MEP: The coalition version needs to have instructions
for people from each country. coalition members need to get a translated
version online in their own languages and link to the LQ site for their
own MEPs.
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- Suggest you indicate:
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- Here are the MEPs who are important in the process.
- Here are the MEPs from [your country] [or list each country
of the coalition] .
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- This is suggested letter / email to send to your MEP.
Personalise this email to include your own Internet use in your personal
and business life. Change the sentence in red to personalise the email
and tell the MEP how you individually use the Internet or just take it
off.
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