Italian Communication Agency Granted Unlimited Censorship Power
The Italian telecommunications agency AGCOM has given itself a new power: starting from July 6th the agency can shut down access to any website accused by copyright holders to break their rights. No judge will be consulted and the supposedly offending sites have no possibility to defend themselves.
According to the Italian association of music publishers FIMI, the US administration is pressuring Italy to pass the regulation and quoted in an email Ambassador Ron Kirk from the “Special 301” Report (an annual review of the global state of intellectual property rights protection and enforcement, which the Office of the United States Trade Representative):
"The United States encourages Italy to ensure that the AGCOM regulations are swiftly promulgated and implemented, that these regulations create an effective mechanism against copyright piracy over the Internet, and that they address all types of piracy that takes place online."
Tonight on July 5th the Italian association Agora Digitale and other associations will host an online event to prevent censorship on the Italian internet. There will be live streaming throughout the night.
If there is something that the country needs now more than ever is a place where freedom of speech is sacred.
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