Report Challenges Assumptions On IP Valuation And Cybercrime 23/07/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new report released in the United States assesses assumptions and seeks to spark new thinking on the economic impact of cybercrime and cyberespionage, including the valuation and losses of intellectual property.
EU Commission Prefers Its Own “Leaks” On FTA 16/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In an obvious effort to push back against claims about a continued lack of transparency in free trade agreement negotiations, the European Commission has published a number of initial documents on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the United States.
Church Leaders, Gun Groups Sue NSA Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Phone Surveillance 16/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Church leaders, gun ownership advocates and other rights activists came together today to file a lawsuit against the US National Security Agency (NSA), declaring its surveillance programme unconstitutional. The broad coalition of plantiffs is represented by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).
Amazon Company Bid For New Domain .amazon Runs Into Trouble At ICANN 16/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments US online retailer Amazon’s quest for their own top level domain, .amazon, might be doomed after the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) today agreed it should be rejected.
Arabic TLD First To Go Live; Who Does What In Multi-Stakeholder Internet Self-Governance 16/07/2013 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment شبكة , the Arabic word for “web” or “network”, the Russian words for “online” and “network” and and the Chinese word for “game” is one of the first new top-level domains ready to go live after the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) signed four contracts during its opening session in Durban, South Africa (14-18 July). Despite what might be seen as emblematic of a “greater” ICANN, discussions in Durban this week continue on discrepancies between local law and ICANN contracts. They also continue on the very functioning of the private multi-stakeholder model for self-regulating the name space itself.
US Advertising Networks Issue Best Practices For Online Infringement 15/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Several United States-based advertising networks today announced a set of best practices to address online infringement by reducing ad revenue to websites engaged in piracy and counterfeiting.
Generic Terms In Domain Names Proving Difficult To Defend As Trademarks 15/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments In one of the first decisions on an objection filed at the World Intellectual Property Organization against a new top level domain (TLD) application, the complainant, Express, LLC lost to Sea Sunset, a subsidiary of Donuts. Express is a US fashion dealer, and Donuts is one of the so-called “portfolio TLD applicants” that has applied for nearly 300 new TLDs.
WIPO Copyright Meeting Postponed To December 13/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) that was scheduled for late July has been postponed until December.
US Subcommittee Examines Toxic Substances Control Act, IP Protection 11/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A subcommittee of the United States House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee today heard arguments for and against greater chemical regulation and trade secret protection in its review of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The hearing also examined the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s role in regulation.
Happy Birthday To You, Copyrighted 04/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Prof. Owen Dean writes: Warner/Chappel Music, a music publishing company in the United States of America, claims and exerts copyright in the ubiquitous song “Happy Birthday to You”. It requires that royalty payments should be made to it each and every time this song is sung or used in public. This is a startling proposition as most people probably assume that the song is in the public domain and is free for use by all. An American documentary film maker agrees and is objecting to having to pay royalties to include the song in a film. It has consequently commenced legal proceedings before the US court seeking a declaration that the song is out of copyright and in the public domain. These court proceeding are currently attracting attention world-wide due to their somewhat bizarre nature. Meanwhile, under a bill in South Africa, celebrants of birthdays who do not obtain the necessary licence for singing “Happy Birthday” may in future bring the full wrath of the law down upon themselves through their unlawful conduct. Moreover, this situation could prevail in perpetuity.