Cooperation in the Pacific Rim by Jakob Polacsek, World Economic Forum (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldeconomicforum/48179628441

Cooperation in the Pacific Rim by Jakob Polacsek, World Economic Forum (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldeconomicforum/48179628441

Digital Trade

The Battle Over Internet Filtering

Earlier this week I attended a seminar in Brussels on the "telecoms package" currently before the European Parliament [partial video].  One of the most controversial elements in the package are the prospect for mandated ISP filtering or blocking of allegedly copyright infringing materials.  Those requirements would build on other national and international developments including the still-secret Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and the "three strikes and you're out" policies ("graduated response") in some European countries.

The seminar was illuminating since all of the most vocal stakeholders were in attendance (either as part of the panel or in the audience) and most were pretty transparent about their interests in the issue.  I walked away with the following scorecard:

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August 29, 2008 14 comments News

Times-Colonist on ACTA Insiders

The Victoria Times-Colonist features a masthead editorial on the ACTA negotiations that concludes that work on the treaty "should not be taking place in secret and it should consider the best ideas from wherever they might come, and not just from a small group of insiders."

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August 11, 2008 3 comments News

Tech Companies Express ACTA Concerns

IP Justice has posted a letter from a group of leading technology, Internet, and telecommunications companies in the U.S. focused on concerns related to ACTA.

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August 11, 2008 1 comment News

NZ Government Reports on ACTA Talks

The Government of New Zealand has posted a short report on last week's ACTA talks, noting the key issues and committing to future negotiations.  As usual, the Canadian government remains silent on ACTA.

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August 6, 2008 5 comments News

Patry and Pessimism About Copyright

Many bloggers have lamented Bill Patry's decision to put an end to his invaluable blog.  The blog has been a daily read for many and will be sorely missed. Patry points to two reasons – the inability of some readers to separate his personal opinion from the views of his […]

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August 4, 2008 9 comments News