Post Tagged with: "internet"

Declaration of Internet Freedom

Dozens of civil society groups have issued a Declaration of Internet Freedom that focuses on five principles: expression, access, openness, innovation, and privacy.

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July 3, 2012 1 comment News

UN Internet Takeover Rumours Mask Bigger Governance Shortcomings

Appeared in the Toronto Star on June 10, 2012 as UN Internet Takeover Rumours Mask Bigger Governance Shortcomings In recent months the Internet has been buzzing about the prospect of a United Nations “takeover” of the Internet, including responsibility for governance of the domain name system. The concern hit a […]

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June 12, 2012 Comments are Disabled Columns Archive

Cutting Community Internet Access Program Highlights Absence of Digital Strategy

Appeared in the Ottawa Citizen on April 17, 2012 as Canada Lacking Digital Strategy The recent federal budget was a hefty 498 pages, but it still omitted disclosing the decision to eliminate funding for the Community Access Program, Canada’s longstanding initiative to provide an Internet access alternative for those without […]

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April 17, 2012 1 comment Columns Archive

International Free Speech Representatives Issue Joint Declaration on Expression and the Internet

The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media, the Organization of American States (OAS) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Special […]

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June 22, 2011 Comments are Disabled News

ACTA Ultra-Lite: The U.S. Cave on the Internet Chapter Complete

One of the biggest stories over the three year negotiation of ACTA has been the willingness of the U.S. to cave on the Internet provisions.  When it first proposed the chapter, the U.S. was seeking new intermediary liability requirements with three strikes and you’re out used as an example of an appropriate policy as well as language that attempted to create a global DMCA.  The draft released today is a far cry from that proposal with the intermediary liability provisions largely removed and the DMCA digital lock provisions much closer to the WIPO Internet treaty model. In its place, is a chapter that is best viewed as ACTA Ultra-Lite. For Canadians, this is crucial since it now leaves an ACTA that is far more flexible than even Bill C-32.  In fact, the Canadian copyright bill now exceeds the requirements under ACTA and could be amended in a manner that will allow for greater balance on digital locks and still be ACTA compliant.

It should also be noted that this chapter is still not concluded.  The inclusion of trademarks in some provisions would seemingly require changes to U.S. law and has not acheived consensus.  Further, a provision on enforcement procedures ” including the unlawful use of means of widespread distribution for infringing purposes” has not received consensus support. With respect to what has been concluded:

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October 6, 2010 30 comments News