Poland signs copyright treaty that drew protests

3 weeks 6 days ago

A masked Internet activist protests against the international copyright agreement ACTA, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, in front of the European Parliament office in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. The Polish government plans to sign the agreement and Poland's support for ACTA has sparked days of protest, including attacks on government sites, by groups who fear it could lead to online censorship.

Thu, 2012-01-26 04:11

An official says Poland has signed an international copyright agreement that has sparked days of protests from Internet users who fear it will lead to online censorship.

Poland's ambassador to Japan, Jadwiga Rodowicz-Czechowska, told the Polish station TVN24 that she signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, or ACTA, in Tokyo on Thursday.

ACTA is a far-reaching agreement that aims to harmonize international standards on protecting the rights of those who produce music, movies, pharmaceuticals, fashion, and a range of other products that often fall victim to intellectual property theft.

Poland's plans to sign ACTA sparked attacks on Polish government websites and street protests in several Polish cities this week.