AfterDawn: News

'Three strikes' law is back in France

After the original bill was shot down for being unconstitutional, the French Senate has today adopted a new version of the controversial 'three strikes law' that will kick alleged pirates off the Internet after two primary warnings.

The revised bill will now head off to the National Assembly where it will either be denied or put into action.



The original text was deemed unconstitutional by the Constitutional Council because of the fact that the bill allowed a new state agency to kick users off the Internet for a year if they were suspected of sharing unauthorized movies and music multiple times. At the same time, a "third strike" could also bring a jail sentence or a fine of up to $415,000 USD.

Any account holder who is found to have allowed other family members or friends to download pirated material using their connection risks a $2090 USD fine and a one month ban from the Internet.

The Council noted in its decision that "free access to public communication services on line" was a human right and the bill imposed on that right.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 10 Jul 2009 2:24

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• 6 comments

• emugamer

  Looks like since the 3-strikes law was found to be unconstitutional, it only made sense to try to pass a 2-strikes law.

  10.7.2009 07:54 #1

• attar

  French Politicians are like any other variety - we hire them to betray us - it makes no difference from which side of the political spectrum they dribble their cant.
  My long-standing wish is that by way of making this world a little better, they all commit suicide on Christmas Eve - preferably this would be before they were able to reproduce.

  10.7.2009 13:09 #2

• windsong

  Anomos is freedom.

  10.7.2009 14:41 #3

• varnull

  People have a vote.. in France they have PR .. none of the above is a viable option.. expect fireworks when they elect nazis XD
  
  anomos is BS.. it hides nothing from the isp.. and i's the isp's who have been made responsible for the spying.. on behalf of a foreign power and it's greedy corporations... and you would have thought of all countries the French would have learned from history what that brings.... Ever been to Caen and seen the bullet holes in the walls of the cathederal?.. direct result of the treaty of Versailles...putting profits of foreigners over the interests of your citizens.. need I say more?
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work.
  I would rather you hate me for who I am than love me for what I am not.
  “It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state.” - Bruce Schneier

  10.7.2009 16:57 #4

• Interestx

  This rubbish will get kicked out too, either by the Freench courts or the EU courts or the EU Parliament.
  
  Fundamentally the law is geared to dealing with counterfeit goods (true piracy) which is about as far from sharing as can be.
  
  Originally posted by varnull: Ever been to Caen and seen the bullet holes in the walls of the cathederal?.. direct result of the treaty of Versailles...putting profits of foreigners over the interests of your citizens.. need I say more?[/QUOTE]
  
  Spot on point & well put. ;)

  11.7.2009 14:35 #5

• Tarsellis

  Current Marxist American government will get this through though, and there will be no such thing to stop it here.

  20.7.2009 11:48 #6