tl;dr The following is what we've been able to learn so far.
—U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, CBP DIRECTIVE NO. 3340-049 credits to ED |
ACTA, or the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, is a proposed trade agreement which is theorized by some to be the Final Boss of the Internet. Its proponents claim the treaty to be a response "to the increase in global trade of counterfeit goods and pirated copyright protected works." In other words, pirates, it's time to walk the plank.
“ | ACTA is a ... large scale, criminal activity. It is ... about limiting civil liberties or harassing consumers. | „ |
—ACTA's website |
“ | The treaty suggests that customs officers should be given the right to search laptops and media players for pirated material. | „ |
“ | PURPOSE. To provide guidance and standard operating procedures for searching, reviewing, retaining, and sharing information contained in computers, disks, drives, tapes, mobile phones and other communication devices, cameras, music and other media players, and any other electronic or digital devices, encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the border, both inbound and outbound, to ensure compliance with customs, immigration, and other laws that CBP is authorized to enforce. These searches are part of CBP's long-standing practice and are essential to enforcing the law at the U.S. border. Searches of electronic devices help detect evidence relating to terrorism and other national security matters, human and bulk cash smuggling, contraband, and child pornography. They can also reveal information about financial and commercial crimes, such as those relating to copyright, trademark and export control violations. Finally, searches at the border are often integral to a determination of admissibility under the immigration laws. | „ |
—U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, CBP DIRECTIVE NO. 3340-049 credits to ED |