Last week, a leaked Dutch memo on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), a secret copyright treaty, identified the countries whose negotiators were opposed to bringing transparency to the negotiation process. The worst offenders were the US, South Korea, Singapore and Denmark.
Now, activists in these countries are banging the drum, demanding to know why their governments are standing in the way of public participation in a treaty-making process that will have wide-ranging implications for all Internet users, and it's working.
In this video clip, Danish activist Henrik Moltke appeared on Danish television and did an excellent job of explaining what ACTA means and how Denmark's intransigence in ACTA transparency is a global disgrace. (Henrik tells me that his employer, Socialsquare, are giving him the time he needs to work on this — how cool!)
We're getting results. Today, the Danish minister responsible for ACTA negotiations was told that she must account for Denmark's position. I'm sure other countries will follow.
The question is, will the Obama administration — a supposed paragon of transparency — join Denmark in opening a dialog on whether copyright negotiations should take place in smoke-filled rooms, away from the press and public?
Henrik Moltke talks about ACTA on Danish TV
Lene Espersen, in consultation on anti-piracy agreement
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