After all the protests about SOPA died down following the bill being shelved, ACTA, an international treaty with similar ideas though covering other areas besides the Internet, was signed by 8 nations around the world. Although ACTA is not in force yet due to it lacking the 6 required ratifications, much of the agreement holds potential harm for the Internet as well as generic drug availability and legal scope of corporations. The final published agreement is only 25 pages, and I urge you to read it and then do your own research. This isn’t just about freedom of expression anymore.

Do you have any grandparents who are dependent on generic medications for their health? ACTA would make it so that these generic drugs are no longer available due their changed status as a “imitation” of the brand-name drug.

Do you belong to a major Internet Service Provider like Comcast, AT&T, or Verizon? Under ACTA, these corporations will gain the ability become enforcers of intellectual property law on the Internet, monitoring your Internet usage and what you download.

Do you frequently cross borders between countries, for example between Canada and the US? Or in the European Union? If any of these countries are among the 6 who ratify the agreement, you can be stopped at the border and your vehicle inspected for copyright material.