Category Information and Communications Technology/ Broadcasting

France’s Online Anti-Piracy Plan Comes Under Scrutiny

By Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch
Legal experts and consumer rights groups are questioning the feasibility of measures described in an anti-piracy pact that French media groups, government officials, and Internet service providers (ISPs) announced on 23 November.

ISPs also dispute the veracity of media reports that have since claimed that access providers will begin to actively monitor and block peer-to-peer file exchanges in France.

The anti-piracy agreement describes a number of possible measures that could prevent illegal distribution of copyright-protected digital media in France.

Film Industry Touts ISP Partners In Filtering Online Content

By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
NEW YORK - Internet service providers are going to lead the monitoring of networks to ensure they are not being used for infringing purposes in the entertainment industry's seemingly endless battle to maintain control over where their content is distributed, and to whom, Motion Picture Association of America Chairman Dan Glickman said Tuesday.

Glickman, speaking at the 35th Annual UBS Global Media & Communications Conference on 5 December, said his organisation - which represents the motion picture, home video and television industries - is working with telephone, cable and Internet companies, most notably AT&T, to ensure their networks are not being used to illegally share or download content. The relationship is somewhat ironic given the entertainment industry's rocky history with the ISP community and its previous efforts to force telecommunications companies like Verizon to reveal the identities of customers who infringe copyrights on peer-to-peer filing systems.

EU To Publish Online Content Rule As Industry Launches IP Standard

By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch The European Commission’s is expected to publish by year’s end a communication on creative content online that will address how to improve the competitiveness of European online content production and distribution industry,…

France To Require Internet Service Providers To Filter Infringing Music

By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch
French record labels and Internet service providers (ISPs) have agreed on a ground-breaking plan to fight online music piracy. Among other things, the 23 November memorandum of understanding requires Internet access providers to experiment with filters to block infringing files.

Making ISPs shoulder more responsibility for copyright violations on their networks while leaving intact their immunity from liability for content for which they are "mere conduits" represents a sea-change in the interpretation of the European Union E-Commerce Directive, said attorney Winston Maxwell of Hogan & Hartson.

Internet Service Providers Fear Trend Toward Liability For Content

By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch
The rising trend of holding Internet service provider (ISPs), host and platform operators liable for third party violations of laws relating to copyright, competition and the protection of minors is of increasing concern to industry associations like the Association of the German Internet Economy, known as Eco.

At Eco's annual meeting in Cologne last week, Malte Gosau, legal counsel for Easynet (a network and hosting operator owned by BSkyB), said: "Recent court decisions push providers to go abroad to start new business models, as they risk being taken to court over third party violations of the law if they provide a commercial platform, a forum, online games or bets."

Standards ouverts et accès à la connaissance au menu des discussions du Forum sur la gouvernance de l’Internet

Par Monika Ermert pour Intellectual Property Watch RIO DE JANEIRO – Les questions liées à la propriété intellectuelle ont été parmi les sujets que les gouvernements avaient évité d’aborder pendant le sommet sur la société de l’information en 2003-2005, qui…

Normas abiertas y acceso al conocimiento, temas abordados en el FGI

Por Monika Ermert para Intellectual Property Watch RÍO DE JANEIRO- El de las cuestiones relacionadas con la propiedad intelectual fue un tema que los gobiernos evitaron tocar durante la Cumbre Mundial sobre la Sociedad de la Información en 2003 y…

Open Standards, Access To Knowledge Discussed At IGF

By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch RIO DE JANEIRO – Intellectual property-related issues were a topic avoided by governments during the 2003-2005 World Summit on the Information Society, which gave way to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). But at…

French Industry Attacks Private Copy Fees As Levy Debate Grows

By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch
Makers and distributors of digital storage products and audiovisual media last week urged France's highest administrative court to kill private copy levies on technologies for transferring data such as USB keys, external hard disks and memory cards.

The challenges, filed 9 November in the Conseil d'Etat by e-merchant Rue du Commerce and the Syndicat des Industries de Mat�riels Audiovisuels Electroniques (SIMAVELEC), contend that the lack of harmonised levies among European Union countries violates EU law and hurts online sellers.

The legal action came one day after the European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers (GESAC) argued that non-payment of levies should be made a criminal offence.

Internet Governance Forum: Test Of A New Global Governance Model

By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch RIO DE JANEIRO – The debate over whether the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) should grow beyond its no-decisions, dialogue-only capacity was under consideration from the opening of the meeting here Monday. While a…