Dear Editor,
Canadian government officials are working with those from 11 other nations to finalize the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). I am very concerned about the TPP, which is currently being negotiated without public input.
We know from documents revealed by Wikileaks that the TPP includes an Internet Censorship plan that would make the Internet more policed, expensive and censored.
Experts have pointed out that under the TPP, “kids could be sent to jail for downloading” and whole families could be kicked off the Internet. It would force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to become Internet police and monitor my Internet use, censor website content, and remove entire websites from my view.
It would also hinder our ability to access information and criminalize our everyday use of the Internet. As a concerned citizen I am speaking out for a free and open Internet.
The TPP would also limit accessibility for disabled people. Visually impaired or deaf people would be criminalized for circumventing digital locks on any digital materials they have purchased. This means they would be unable to convert them to braille, audio or other accessible formats. I believe that the Internet should be open and accessible to everyone.
In addition, the TPP’s proposal to force ISPs to install costly and invasive surveillance equipment into their networks gravely worries me.
These added costs would drive up everyone’s Internet bills and could force smaller independent Internet providers out of business. I believe that Internet access is a right and should be kept open and affordable for everyone.
Already over 120,000 people have signed the Say No to Internet Censorship petition. I encourage everyone to learn more about TPP Internet Censorship before it’s too late.
Jay Gramlich
Consort, AB
