BNA reports that “An online service that permits users to upload, store, and share images has no duty to ensure those files are noninfringing, even if it has received Digital Millennium Copyright Act-compliant notices requesting the removal of a plaintiff’s…
At a hearing titled “Promoting Investment and Protecting Commerce Online: Legitimate Sites v. Parasites, Part I” Subcommittee Members heard testimony from Maria Pallente (Acting U.S. Registrar of Copyrights); David Sohn Center for Democracy and Technology); Daniel Castro (Information Technology and…
IP Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel has issued a white paper that lists 20 legislative recommendations to Congress for the strengthening of IP enforcment. The paper recommends increasing prison sentences for the sale of counterfeiting drugs or products sold to military and law enforcement. It recommends changing the U.S. Sentencing Guideline Range for a number of specific infringements and for “repeat intellectual property offenders.” The paper recommends felony penalties for illegal streaming, and the authorization of wiretaps for investigations of copyright infringement. Although it makes no specific recommendations related to foreign-hosted websites that distribute infringing material, the paper says that the administration is eager to work with Congress on this issue.
PEOPLE’S DAILY, March 14, 2011: China will strengthen its protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs), in a bid to improve the nation’s capacity for innovation, said senior figures from six ministries and administrations. Officials from the six bodies, which include…
The Professional Musicians Union of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Association of Independent Music (ABMI), and 130 Brazilian musicians, composers and artists have written the Minister of Culture. The letter urges the government to find a third way out of…
At a March 9 Senate Finance Committee hearing on the President’s Trade Agenda, the Senators’ top concerns included the quick passage of pending FTAs with Korea, Columbia, and Panama, as well as IP in China. US Trade Representative Ron Kirk…
Today at New York University I will be participating in the official launch of the multi-year multi-country study of Media Piracy in Emerging Economies (), edited by Joe Karaganis at SSRC. Mike Palmedo and I contributed to the report, in…
Mike Masnik has a good blog about a court ruling in Australia in which the court agreed with ISPs that it makes no sense for them to make legal determinations instead of courts:
An international open letter to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in support of the work of the Brazilian society and government for the cultural commons is now online: It has been signed by international organizations, academics and activists. The letter…
Yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled “Targeting Websites Dedicated To Stealing American Intellectual Property.” Witnesses from Rosetta Stone, the Authors Guild, Go Daddy, Verizon and Visa testified about online piracy and about the strengths and weaknesses of…
The President has issued an executive order establish committees to advise the IP Enforcement Coordinator in the implementation of the Joint Strategic Plan required by the PRO IP Act. IP Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel described the executive order as creating…
On February 16, 2011 at 10am the full Senate Judiciary will hold a hearing on efforts to shut down websites where IP-infringing content is hosted. The witnesses will include representatives from Rosetta Stone, the Authors Guild, GoDaddy!, Verizon, and Visa. …