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Frances Anti-Piracy law claims first victim

by on08 May 2009

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And it is not even law yet


Even before
it's officially adopted, France's controversial anti-piracy law has already claimed its first victim.

Jérôme Bourreau-Guggenheim, head of web innovation at one of the largest TV-networks in France has been fired because he criticised the law in a letter to his MP.

The 'HADOPI' (Creation and Internet) law requires ISPs  to send warnings to alleged copyright infringers, who would eventually lose their Internet access upon receiving their third warning. Additionally, the new law would make it possible to order ISPs to block sites such as The Pirate Bay. President Sarkozy is believed to have gathered enough support to get it signed into action.

According to the Frech news outlet Ecrans it all started on February 19. Jérôme, like many other French citizens, decided to write an email to Françoise de Panafieu, his representative in the French Parliament in order to vent his personal opinion. Jérôme write that implementing the law would be a disaster, urging his MP to vote against it.

This is a democracy right? Apparently not when the Music and Film industry is involved. Apparently the MP was so miffed that Jérôme wrote to him and demanded that he do something that was not in favour of the Jack Booted Music and Film industry that he forwarded the letter to the Minster of Culture. The Minister complained to Jérôme's boss. Who fired him for being exercising his democratic rights in a built up area after the hours of darkness.

Jérôme has hired an lawyer and will appeal his dismissal, since it's discrimination based on political views, which has nothing to do with his work performance.

The Ministry of Culture admits that the email was leaked to TF1 through his office but claims he does not know how it ended up at TF1. But the French have another problem with their daft anti-democratic law. Besides the fact that it will not give anyone the legal right to stand up to the Music and Film industry if they accuse them of piracy.

The EU recently said that such a law would be against the rights of all EU citizens. It is unlikely that the French government would want to cede from the EU over a matter of copyright.
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