Can The Internet Be Saved Without Harming Democracy? 20/04/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment [From The Guardian-] Citizens of the internet: here is some welcome news. Your downtrodden digital rights might be getting a well-overdue booster shot. But it comes with some warnings. Last week in the Hague, a high-level group of 29 internet policymakers and influencers – including prominent ex-US and UK security and intelligence officials Michael Chertoff, Joseph Nye, Melissa Hathaway and David Omand – issued a clarion call for the protection and promotion of human rights online. Self-styled the Global Commission on Internet Governance, the group made this call as part of the broader objective of restoring trust and confidence in the internet.
German Big Brother Awards To German Secret Service, Interior Minister, And Barbie 20/04/2015 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Mattel’s and Toytalks’ “Hello Barbie” Friday night received a Big Brother Award in Germany. The US doll found itself in illustrious company for the negative privacy award with two German Ministers of the Interior, a Minister of Health, several Amazon ventures and Elance-O-Desk. The Organization Digital Courage has handed out the awards since 2000.
Wave Of Protests Against TTIP, CETA, TISA 19/04/2015 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A wave of protest marches and information events against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the Canada-EU Trade Agreement (CETA), and the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) yesterday swept across Europe, the US, Canada and number of other countries. On the eve of the 9th TTIP negotiation round set for New York (20-24 April), thousands took to the streets in the European capitals of London, Brussels and Helsinki.
Music Is Focus For This Year’s International IP Day At WIPO 17/04/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Music is the chosen theme of the World Intellectual Property Organization to celebrate this year’s World Intellectual Property Day on 26 April. The organisation has a series of events planned starting next week, and in particular a roundtable on the future of the music industry with a panel of speakers from across the world.
WIPO Development Committee To Hear Report On Implementation, Discuss Patent Flexibilities 17/04/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Member governments will discuss the development dimension of the World Intellectual Property Organization next week, looking in particular at how the United Nations organisation is implementing the recommendations of its Development Agenda in its activities.
EU, US Issue Joint Statement On Information Society 14/04/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Union and the United States today held the 13th bilateral Information Society Dialogue and issued a statement highlighting issues discussed and agreed. The two government entities covered topics such as the EU Digital Single Market, digital skills, open internet, the data-driven economy, internet governance, the United Nations review of the 2003-2005 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), and cooperation on international telecommunications policy.
Council Of Europe Holds Consultations On Draft Internet Freedom Text 14/04/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A committee of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe is drafting a recommendation on internet freedom and is requesting public comments until the end of the month.
Don’t Keep The Trans-Pacific Partnership Talks Secret 14/04/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment [From the New York Times Opinion pages, by Margot Kaminski:] COLUMBUS, Ohio — WHEN WikiLeaks recently released a chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, critics and proponents of the deal resumed wrestling over its complicated contents. But a cover page of the leaked document points to a different problem: It announces that the draft text is classified by the United States government. Even if current negotiations over the trade agreement end with no deal, the draft chapter will still remain classified for four years as national security information. The initial version of an agreement projected by the government to affect millions of Americans will remain a secret until long after meaningful public debate is possible. [Note: article mentions a US FOIA case by IP-Watch]
A Global Digital Magna Carta? Maybe, But First Identify Needs, Panel Says 13/04/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW YORK – A recent panel of internet governance experts was divided on whether a primary global set of principles protecting the balance of power on the internet is needed.
Yale Conference Looks At Innovation “Beyond IP” 12/04/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment NEW HAVEN – Intellectual property is not the only driver of human innovation. A two-day conference held here recently brought together a range of leading academics and others to share ideas on innovation occurring outside of, or in spite of, intellectual property rights.