Archive for October 9th, 2006

The Parallel Politics of the Environment and Copyright

The Hill Times this week features my special op-ed (Hill Times version, homepage version) on the parallels between the environment and copyright as mainstream political issues.  The similarities start with language – environmental advocates speak of protecting the environment and sustainable resources, while copyright advocates focus on the need to […]

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October 9, 2006 3 comments Columns

The Parallel Politics of the Environment and Copyright

Appeared in the Hill Times on October 9, 2006 as Parallel Federal Political World of Environment and Copyright As the Conservatives prepare to roll out their policy plan for the environment, there is little doubt that environmental concerns have emerged as a major political issue.  With polls consistently confirming public […]

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October 9, 2006 Comments are Disabled Columns Archive

deBeer on Mandatory DRM

Jeremy deBeer with a must-read post on hidden terms in the CSI online music tariff .

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October 9, 2006 Comments are Disabled News

ICANN Sacrifices Privacy for Shot at Independence

My weekly Law Bytes column (Toronto Star version, BBC version, homepage version) examines the recent agreement between ICANN and the U.S. government.   Late last month, ICANN took a major step toward addressing some ongoing concerns by signing a new agreement with the U.S. government entitled the Joint Project Agreement.  ICANN immediately heralded the JPA as a "dramatic step forward" for full management of the Internet's domain name system through a "multi-stakeholder model of consultation."  It added that the agreement grants it unprecedented independence by removing many of the U.S. government’s oversight controls.  These include the elimination of a twice-annual reporting requirement to the U.S. Department of Commerce (ICANN will instead release a single annual report targeted to the full Internet community) and a shift away from the highly prescriptive policy responsibilities featured in the original ICANN contract.

While the JPA may indeed represent an important change, a closer examination of its terms suggest that there may be a hidden price tag behind ICANN newfound path toward independence – the privacy of domain name registrants. 

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October 9, 2006 Comments are Disabled Columns

ICANN Sacrifices Privacy for Shot at Independence

Appeared in the Toronto Star on October 9, 2006 as Web's Naming Body Barters Away Privacy  Appeared in the BBC on October 10, 2006 as Internet Privacy 'Sacrified" By ICANN  Internet governance has attracted increasing attention in recent years as governments, business communities, and Internet users struggle to develop a […]

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October 9, 2006 2 comments Columns Archive