Category Information and Communications Technology/ Broadcasting

Fair Use/Fair Dealing Week 2018 Highlights Balance In The Copyright System

The fifth annual Fair Use/Fair Dealing Week took place February 26–March 2, 2018, growing to 153 participating organizations—as well as numerous individuals—celebrating the important and flexible doctrines of fair use and fair dealing worldwide. This year’s event was organized by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and participants included universities, libraries, library associations, and many other organizations, such as Authors Alliance, the Center for Democracy & Technology, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the R Street Institute, and Re:Create. Sixty ARL member institutions contributed a wide range of resources this year. Fair Use/Fair Dealing Week was observed around the globe by participants in such countries as Australia, Canada, Colombia, Greece, and the United States.

Council Of Europe Agrees New Guidelines On Media Pluralism, Transparency Of Media Ownership

The Strasbourg, France-based Council of Europe today adopted a recommendation containing a range of guidelines aimed at managing the effects of modern technology on the media sector and media pluralism. The recommendation sets out a comprehensive framework of guidelines for a "pluralist, transparent and participatory" media environment, online and offline.

Council Of Europe Adopts Guidelines On Role Of Internet Intermediaries

The Council of Europe today adopted a set of recommendations containing some 60 detailed obligations and suggestions for governments to ensure internet intermediaries, such as search engines and social media, uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms online.

UN Rapporteur For Privacy Rebuffed On Surveillance Oversight Negotiations

The United States, China and the European Union were unanimous yesterday in their rejection of international consultations for a possible legal instrument on government-led surveillance and privacy. During the 19th meeting of the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, they called a possible legal instrument against uncontrolled cross-border surveillance proposed by the UN Special Rapporteur on Privacy, Joseph Cannataci, “unnecessary.” But Cannataci responded that the problems cannot be ignored.

Tough Talk On Transatlantic Privacy, Once Again

The EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Věra Jourová, ahead of her US visit announced “a tough tone” on remaining gaps in the implementation of the privacy shield, the arrangement that allows to transfers of data of EU citizens to the United States. Speaking before the EU Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE), Jourová said while she had heard the privacy shield was not a priority of the US administration, “it will be a priority, if we make clear that we will suspend the system if it doesn't work,” adding, “My patience is coming to an end.”

Protecting And Promoting Copyright Balance In NAFTA

The ongoing NAFTA renegotiation presents a prime opportunity to move the ball on protecting and promoting general public interest copyright exceptions. All three countries have such exceptions to varying degree. And all three are under threat from an agenda to cabin their use through international law. NAFTA negotiators can and should include the best models from prior international agreements that protect and promote the ability of countries to have general exceptions, writes Professor Sean Flynn.

EU Commission Proposes Measures Against Illegal Online Content Including IP Infringement

The European Commission today recommended a set of operational measures against a wide range of online content considered illegal, lumping intellectual property rights-infringing material in with that of terrorists, child sexual abusers, hate speech, and commercial scams.

Section 1201 Rulemaking – The Process Is Moving Along

Dave Davis writes: Section 1201 is a curious little section of the US Copyright Act, added by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998. But the matter covered in that section is of great importance in our digital age and, due to its triennial rulemaking requirement, ‘1201’ exceptions are a topic of considerable discussion every few years. As it turns out, 2018 is one of those years.

Authors’ Group Study: Copyright Safe Harbour Provisions Distort Market

Copyright “safe harbour” rules aimed at ensuring the free flow of information by internet service providers without liability for infringing content are “distorting the digital market, profiting tech giants and leading to significant underpayment of copyright owners,” according to an…

Rising Patent Applications – And Challenges – For New Technologies, Artificial Intelligence

The steady increase in innovations relating to new digital technologies, in particular technologies using artificial intelligence, is matched by an upward patenting trend. The European Patent Office recently issued a study on the subject and is preparing a conference in May, while the World Intellectual Property Organization is working on its own in-depth study. However, the current patent system might not be ready for artificial intelligence-related inventions, according to a global standards-setting body.