EU’s Kroes Calls For New Thinking On Copyright System 21/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Neelie Kroes, vice-president of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda, has issued a call for new thinking beyond old business models as a way to incentivize creativity in Europe.
Filtering and Blocking Closer To The Core Of The Internet? 20/11/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments With protests against draft US legislation like the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act ongoing and the European Parliament voting on 17 November for a resolution to request that the United States should be “refraining from unilateral measures to revoke IP addresses or domain names,” politicians are talking a lot about technology for the internet domain name system. But at the same time, engineers are getting more political and are intensively discussing technology providing the tools for blocking – by governments and private parties.
Barrage Of Doubts Voiced On US Internet Piracy Bill 16/11/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments An international outcry from open internet proponents has emerged over draft US legislation, HR 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), on the eve of a hearing on the bill. International critics say the bill would put the United States on the same ground as China with regards to internet filtering, undermining the US argument for internet freedom.
WIPO Development Committee Kicks Off With Compromise 15/11/2011 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The eighth session of the World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) opened this week with the close of its seventh session. Committee coordinators were still gathered in negotiations as the eighth session was due to begin on 14 November, hammering out a compromise on proposed meetings on South-South cooperation among developing countries.
33 North American Institutions Sign Declaration On Open Access 13/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Thirty-three research institutions, associations and foundations in North America last week signed the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities, committing to support open access research in the future. The signing brings the total signers to nearly 300, including many of the top research institutions in the world.
UNESCO Creates Fund For Budget Shortfall After US Withholds Dues 11/11/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has set up a fund for donations to support core activities after the United States withheld its dues equalling nearly a quarter of UNESCO’s budget. Already the agency has begun cutting programmes in developing countries, it said.
Less Copyright Liability Found To Boost Cloud Computing Investment 09/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A new study by a Harvard business professor has found that protection against copyright liability increased investment in the cutting-edge technology of cloud computing.
In Egypt, Director Of Famed Library Of Alexandria Under Fire 06/11/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 42 Comments The director of the legendary Library of Alexandria, lauded in Europe in recent weeks, has come under attack from the majority of his library staff and others demanding his departure over questions of unprofessional employee practices, alleged retaliation against workers for speaking freely, and for his affiliation with the outcast Mubarak regime.
US Secretary Clinton: No Contradiction In Online Enforcement, Free Speech 05/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is undertaking to explain the apparent contradiction in the strong enforcement of intellectual property rights and efforts to ensure freedom of expression on the internet. And she said the State Department will keep saying it in the future.
Competing Industry Reports Show Economic Contributions Of Copyright, Fair Use 03/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Trade associations from various copyright-intensive industries have released a report showing they account for nearly $1 trillion in value to the United States economy, and provide some 5 million jobs.