Original news and analysis on international IP policy
A new study shows a copyright exception for legalising file-sharing is feasible, as a cease-fire in the “war on copying” emerges. A new social contract between creatives and society is needed, says media sociologist Volker Grassmuck.
Developing countries would do well to demand a place at the table as negotiations for an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement undermine the multilateral approach to intellectual property policy making, argues Michael Geist.
By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch MANCHESTER, UK – The basic framework of the intellectual property (IP) regime aims to “close down access to knowledge” rather than allowing its dissemination, Professor Joseph Stiglitz said at a 5 July lecture…
By William New The annual World Health Assembly on Saturday adopted a global strategy aimed at filling the research gap for diseases afflicting developing countries that places the UN agency squarely in global intellectual property policymaking and despite compromises is…
By Kaitlin Mara
The year 2008 is one of consolidation and maturation for alternatives to traditional intellectual property rights made possible by the ease of information transfer via the Internet. The free and open source software community is growing more prominent, and the access to knowledge communities are expanding to include a broader range and deeper understanding of their issues.