According to G8 Laws in Cyberspace Are the Same as the Real World

The G8 group of countries—France, Italy, Germany, the UK, Japan, Canada, Russia, and the US—met this week in Deauville, France to talk about a huge list of issues, including the Internet. In a lengthy statementreleased at the end of Friday's meeting, the countries agreed on a 22-paragraph communiqué in which they lay out their view of the Internet—and make clear that laws apply in cyberspace exactly as they do in the real world.

The document says plenty of good things about free expression, the democratizing power of the Internet, and the need for "non-discrimination and fair competition." It also notes that these goods “must be included in a broader framework” of respect for the law and of protection for intellectual property.

This framework "must receive the same protection, with the same guarantees, on the Internet as everywhere else."

And that means, when it comes to intellectual property, that more enforcement is needed.

With regard to the protection of intellectual property, in particular copyright, trademarks, trade secrets and patents, we recognize the need to have national laws and frameworks for improved enforcement. We are thus renewing our commitment to ensuring effective action against violations of intellectual property rights in the digital arena, including action that addresses present and future infringements. We recognize that the effective implementation of intellectual property rules requires suitable international cooperation of relevant stakeholders, including with the private sector. We are committed to identifying ways of facilitating greater access and openness to knowledge, education and culture, including by encouraging continued innovation in legal on line trade in goods and content, that are respectful of intellectual property rights.

As statements go, this one was fairly bland, but content owners still liked it. "We welcome the G8 Summit’s recognition of the need for laws and frameworks leading to improved enforcement," said a host of movie and music trade groups in a statement sent to Ars. "We also applaud its commitment to ensuring effective action against violations of intellectual property in the digital world. We share the goal of a responsible online marketplace benefitting consumers, the creators we represent and the development of legitimate commerce."

The European human rights group "Article 19" objected, e-mailing Ars to say that the G8 document "appears to endorse new restrictions on Internet speech by increasing enforcement of intellectual property such as through the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and domestic 'three-strikes laws' which fail to fully recognise—and often violate—the right to freedom of expression."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who helped to organize the meeting and the e-G8 gathering in Paris which preceded it, has talked for years about creating a “civilized” Internet, with intellectual property protections as one of the key ingredients. He did