Microsoft General Counsel On Pricing For The Poor, Cloud Computing 01/02/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A top official of the Microsoft Corporation paid a visit to his former school in Geneva yesterday on his way from the World Economic Forum, and talked about corporate responsibility, the company’s principles, infringement issues and cloud computing. He also tried to explain the company’s complex differential pricing regime aimed at lowering prices for lower income populations – especially if they don’t happen to speak a popular world language.
Last Online Voices Before Change Bursts From Digital Darkness In Egypt? 28/01/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment For anyone in Egypt in recent months or years, it was impossible to ignore the extraordinary destitution of masses of people living in dusty, stark cement structures everywhere on the edges of Cairo or the choked roads clogged with a far-too-rapidly swollen population. Reports from the ground via digital technologies chronicled events that hit this week, but it might be the digital silence today that seals the change.
Midem Music Congress: The Two Universes Of The Music Business 26/01/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment CANNES – More help from governments, a hope for new cloud music services and new markets in emerging countries like Brazil. India and China were on the wish list of the big music labels and publishers at this week’s annual industry bash in Cannes, France. Technology companies and the newly invited hackers were more concerned with new ways to better access music and connecting artists and fans.
2011: Renewed Fights Over Internet Control In A Post-Wikileaks World 19/01/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments For many experts in internet governance the future of the multi-stakeholder model is the top issue in 2011. The participation of governments, technical experts, industry and civil society in discussions about how best to organise – and regulate – society on the net is at stake.
Lawmakers Backing Comcast-NBC Merger Were Paid By Comcast 13/01/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Comcast gave money to the vast majority of the 97 members of the US House of Representatives that signed a letter to the Federal Communications Commission urging approval of a merger between cable company Comcast and broadcaster NBC Universal, according to research. The 5 January letter, linked here [pdf] and circulated by nonprofit group Public […]
Special Report: Music Industry’s Lavish Lobby Campaign For Digital Rights 06/01/2011 by Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch 13 Comments The music industry has spent tens of millions of dollars to lobby government officials worldwide during the past decade, but whether or not the initiative has helped to shape a viable legal and commercial framework is a subject of debate.
Top IP-Watch Stories Of 2010: Copyright Fights, ACTA, Medicines Access 30/12/2010 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment At Intellectual Property Watch, a list of the top 25 posts of 2010 reveals your – our readers’ – top interests and tells the tale of the past year. It also is a reminder that quality reporting needs support. Please subscribe to IP-Watch via our website, or contact the director at wnew@ip-watch.ch.
Both Sides Of US Copyright Wars Reloading For 2011 20/12/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Two sides of the ongoing struggle to balance stronger copyright protection and access to knowledge in the United States are re-arming themselves for battle in 2011. By the looks of it, it could be a litigious New Year.
US Ambassador: Over-Focus On Development “Will Kill” WIPO 17/12/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization is headed in a controversial direction, and a focus on development at the expense of protection of intellectual property rights will mean the end of the agency, the United States Ambassador Betty King said yesterday.
Calls At UN For An International Body To Prevent Internet Control 15/12/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Opinions were divided in a United Nations consultation yesterday in New York on enhanced cooperation of public policy issues pertaining to the internet, whether two bodies on the issue are needed.