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France Says Canada Considering "Three Strikes and You're Out" ISP Policy

By Michael Geist

Last month I wrote about the pressure to adopt "graduated response," a policy that is better described as "three strikes and you're out" for ISP subscribers.  While Canada has yet to take a public position on the issue, a new French document cites Canada as an example of a country that is negotiating an ISP three strikes policy.  In particular, the latest Olivennes bill draft submitted by the Conseil d'Etat, states:

La méthode et le dispositif des Accords de l’Élysée soulèvent d’ailleurs un vif intérêt à l’étranger.  De nombreux pays d’Europe (comme la Grande_Bretagne) ou d’autre continents (comme le Canada ou le Japon) ont d’ores et déjà initié un processus de négociation comparable, encadré par les pouvoirs publics, que ceux_ci viendront   relayer en tant que de besoin.

Given that there has been no Canadian public statement consistent with the French claim, either the French are simply wrong (and should be corrected) or Canadian officials may have privately indicated a willingness to move in this direction.  The latter possibility is very troubling given the likelihood that new Canadian copyright legislation is likely to be introduced within the next few weeks.

Full post as published by Michael Geist on May 09, 2008 (boomark / email).