Treaty troubles consumer rights organisation

A new treaty that would give broadcasters' greater powers over how consumers view or access programmes has been called a 'protection racket' by a consumer rights group.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which campaigns on digital rights issues, said giving broadcasters these powers is unnecessary and would hand them unfair power over what people do in their homes: such as preventing users of personal video recorders (PVRs) skipping advertising in programmes.

The Treaty in question, The Protection of Broadcasting Organisations, is being considered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the agency of the United Nations dedicated to protecting copyright.

The broadcasters essentially want broader powers that will cover technologies such as the internet and devices such as media devices or players that allow the unauthorised copying or re-transmission of programs.

They said existing regulation was laid down before the advent of these technologies

The broadcasters have asked for the power to prosecute offenders for a breach of copyright, particularly in some parts of the world, where currently they have little protection.

However, the EEF said the treaty amounted to a "protection racket for middlemen in the TV and internet worlds".

An unlikely alliance of technology companies, PC manufacturers and digital rights activists , led by the EFF, is now lining up to oppose the treaty.

WIPO will be conducting meetings in 2007 to decide on the provisions to be contained in the treaty. A spokeswoman for WIPO told Computeractive that it could take several years after it is agreed for it to come into force, as it will need to first be ratified by a certain number of national governments, before becoming binding.