property-rights
UK Law Firm Drops “Non-Viable, Non-Beneficial” P2P Cases
However, still warns has batch of “settlement” letters ready to be mailed to alleged file-sharers “early in the New Year.” Earlier this month I mentioned how ACS:Law , a UK-based law firm that “specializes in assisting intellectual property rights holders exploit and enforce their rights globally,” announced that on January 1st it plans to target some 15,000 accused illegal file-sharers across the UK. The plan is part of what it calls its “ revolutionary business model ” that “generates revenue for rights holders and effectively decreases copyright infringement in a measurable and sustainable way” unlike the “costly and ineffective” anti-piracy measures of other companies. However, in a bit of backpedaling to perhaps soften this harsh rhetoric, it now says that it’s reviewed all the cases it currently has open and has decided to drop a “good number” of them.
Continue reading »MPAA: Fighting Piracy Increases Consumer Choices
Tells Congress that “protecting intellectual property…results in consumers having more choices in how they view entertainment,” and that the govt should use foreign policy to “motivate” counties to “take meaningful steps to improve IPR (intellectual property rights) protection.” MPAA Chairman and CEO Dan Glickman recently testified before the Government Management, Organization and Procurement Subcommittee as a part of hearing titled: “Protecting Intellectual Property Rights in a Global Economy: Current Trends and Future Challenges.” The hearing focused on the Federal Government’s roles and responsibilities in the global protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR). Glickman made sure to emphasize the importance of protecting jobs in the creative community, especially during the current economic downturn, but oddly argued that a crackdown on piracy will also lead to more entertainment choices for consumers. “Protecting intellectual property preserves these jobs, creates new production-related employment opportunities, and results in consumers having more choices in how they view entertainment,” he said.
Continue reading »Spain Mulls Legislation To Shutdown File-Sharing Sites
After endless negotiations between the copyright industries and Internet service providers which ultimately led nowhere , Spain’s Ministry of Culture has decided to take action to break the impasse. The new Sustainable Economy Law, sponsored by President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, includes draft amendments to legislation “to protect intellectual property against piracy on the Internet”. The proposals will add to the country’s current ‘information society services’ legislation.
Continue reading »Swedish Internet Traffic Recovers After Initial IPRED Scare
The introduction of Sweden’s controversial Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive (IPRED) gave rights holders the authority to request personal details of alleged Internet copyright infringers in order that they can be pursued through the legal system. The legislation came into force on April 1st this year, and the very next day the Netnod Internet Exchange reported a significant drop of 30% in Swedish Internet traffic. This dramatic reduction in data transfers was attributed to file-sharers reigning in their activities on fears of being identified by anti-piracy companies.
Continue reading »Copyright holders lose IPRED case
A landmark Swedish file sharing ruling that forced ISP ePhone to reveal a net user’s identity to five publishers has been overturned. Sweden’s new Ipred law gives copyright holders the ability to demand ISPs reveal details of users who share files. “The case, which ePhone initially lost in June in Solna District Court, is significant because it is the first to go to trial since the passage of a law designed to crack down on internet piracy in Sweden,” says The Local , continuing: “The law, which is based on the EU’s Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive (IPRED), came into force on April 1st and says that internet providers can be forced by a court order to provide data about customers targeted in copyright infringement investigations.” Says Stockholm News It was in June that the District Court of Solna ruled that the ISP Ephone should hand over information to five book publishers about who was behind a server where 27 audio books is said to be available for illegal downloading.
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