The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 gave copyright owners the ability to remove infringing content from the Internet by sending a takedown notice to online providers. As long as the providers promptly responded, they were assured of broad safe harbor protections from prosecution. Unfortunately, these takedown notices have not functioned as intended, due to […]
Time for a Time-Out on Set-Top Box Mandates
It is doubtful the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman thought there would be much concern about his proposed mandates on set-top box standards, which would allow third parties access to program guides and video content without needing to be licensed. Obviously, he was wrong. The proposed set-top box rules would require multi-channel video programming distributors […]
We Stand with the Competitive Enterprise Institute
Rather than tilting at windmills trying to solve problems that don’t exist, government agencies should proceed with great care before imposing technical mandates on an industry. Unfortunately, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appears to be taking a “shoot from the hip” approach to regulating, and currently has its sights set on abrogating intellectual property (IP) rights.
AllVid Not All It’s Cracked Up To Be
After imposing antiquated Title II regulations on the Internet, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is trying to take the next step in regulating every aspect of telecommunications. Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler wants to mandate technical standards for set-top boxes that will ultimately hurt consumers by stifling innovation that is already moving towards eliminating the need for these boxes entirely. Just as technology is being developed to send the set-top box the way of the dodo, the chairman and his supporters at the FCC are acting like a bunch of dodos and trying to keep them in homes across the country.
2016 IP Index Offers “Infinite Possibilities”
On February 10, 2016, the U.S Chamber of Commerce released its fourth annual IP index, Infinite Possibilities, which reviews and rates intellectual property (IP) rights and protections around the world.
IAB Report Finds IP Infringement Costs Economy Billions
There are some individuals who view intellectual property (IP), particularly movies, videos, and music as free for the taking; illegally posting and distributing content online without any regard to the impact such actions have on the creators and owners of the IP. This sad state of affairs was detailed last year in Citizens Against Government […]
The Trans-Pacific Partnership and Intellectual Property
On October 5, 2015, negotiations for the TPPA concluded and a summary of the 30 chapters of the agreement was released. Chapter 18 of the agreement specifically discusses the rights and responsibilities of each TPP member nation in protecting IP. The 12 TPPA member nations are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam.
Modernizing the Copyright Office
The digital economy is continuing to grow, and copyright works, including books, movies, music and other creative works, play a large role in that growth. According to the International Intellectual Property Alliance, copyright contributes more than $1 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product, and copyright industries employ nearly 5.5 million workers. However, as the […]
The TPA Debate: Fears & Facts about “Fast-Track”
When Chicken Little said “The sky is falling!” and convinced his barnyard brethren of the same, the facts notwithstanding, he practically invented fear-mongering. Trade liberalization opponents are engaged in their own version of spreading false and misleading information by claiming that so-called “fast track” legislation is fraught with end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it perils. Just as the falling acorn […]
Focusing on Music Copyright for World IP Day
On April 26, 2015, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) marked World Intellectual Property Day. The theme was “Get Up, Stand Up. For Music,” which was intended to highlight the contributions of musical artists around the world and encourage the protection of their intellectual property (IP). Artists and musicians combat piracy and copyright infringement on a daily basis, while they also struggle to be adequately compensated for their work.