Archive for the ‘WIPO Treaties’ category

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Change and the Copyright Modernization Act

November 7th, 2012

Bill C-11, the Copyright Modernization Act, with a few exceptions, is now law with the publication of the Governor General Order in Council. The fourth attempt to amend the Copyright Act since 2005 succeeded where Bills C-60 (2005), C-61 (2008), and C-32 (2010) did not.

A lot has changed since 2005 when Bill C-60 was first introduced. That Bill would have made a limited, but important, set of amendments. Its summary reminds us that it would have amended the “Copyright Act to implement the provisions of the WIPO Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, to clarify the liability of network service providers, to facilitate technology-enhanced learning and interlibrary loans, and to update certain other provisions of the Act.”  Bill C-11 addresses far more than this.

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Posted in C-11, c-32, Copyright, copyright reform, DMCA safe harbor, DRMs, enablement, Fair Use, Geist, Graduated Response, infringment, ISP exceptions, ISP Liability, making available right, notice and notice, Piracy, TPMs, WIPO Treaties

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Copyright Modernization Act soon to be law in Canada

October 30th, 2012

The Privy Council has released a copy of notice dated October 25, 2012 (P.C. 2012-1392) setting out when the amendments to the Copyright Act will come into force. The information in the notice, which has been published by some law libraries, provides for the amendments to come into force in three stages.

  1. Most amendments will come into force when the notice is officially published in the Canada Gazette Part II which is expected to take place soon and perhaps as early as November 7, 2012.
This is a preview of Copyright Modernization Act soon to be law in Canada. Read full post.

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Posted in C-11, Copyright, copyright reform, WIPO Treaties

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Understanding Flava Works v myVidster: does inline linking infringe copyright?

August 8th, 2012

Last week, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals released its opinion in the  Flava Works, Inc, v Gunter dba myVidster 2012 WL 3124826 (7th.Cir. Aug 2, 2012) case. The central issue was whether Flava Works, the owner of copyrights in videos, was entitled to a preliminary injunction against the social video bookmarking service myVidster. The injunction which had been granted by the District Court was vacated.

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Posted in communication to the public, contributory infringement, Copyright, hosting liability, hyperlinking liability, infringment, ISP Liability, making available right, public perofmance, WIPO Treaties

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My remarks to the Senate Committee studying Bill C-11

June 22nd, 2012

The following are my opening remarks to the Senate Committee studying Bill C-11 earlier today. The link to the webcast can be found here.

I would like to thank the committee for inviting me to appear today to provide input on Bill C-11.

Before starting my remarks, I would like to give you some background about myself.

  • I am a senior partner with the law firm McCarthy Tétrault.
  • I am an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School where I teach IP law.
  • I am the author of 5 books including the leading 6 volume treatise on Computer, Internet and E-Commerce Law.
This is a preview of My remarks to the Senate Committee studying Bill C-11. Read full post.

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Posted in C-11, contributory infringement, Copyright, copyright reform, Geist, HADOPI, ISP exceptions, ISP Liability, TPMs, WIPO Treaties

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A question of values

March 12th, 2012

With Bill C-11, the Copyright Modernization Act, on its way to clause by clause review Canadians have a chance to think about what values they want copyright to reflect. Canadians are being bombarded with a dizzying array of information about amendments that have been proposed including amendments related to enablement, statutory damages, TPMs and fair dealing. Much of the information is inaccurate and emotionally super-charged to garner as much visceral reaction as possible. A significant portion of it originates from Internet activist Michael Geist and is repeated throughout the blogosphere and in the traditional news media, usually with no attempt at analysis.

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Posted in blocking orders, C-11, CETA, contributory infringement, Copyright, copyright reform, enablement, Fair Dealing, Geist, human rights, statutory damages, TPMs, WIPO Treaties

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Keeping The Pirate Bays at Bay

February 22nd, 2012

The UK High Court appears likely to order UK ISPs to block the notorious BitTorrent site, The Pirate Bay. In the just released opinion in the Dramatico Entertainment Ltd & Ors v British Sky Broadcasting Ltd & Ors [2012] EWHC 268 (Ch) (20 February 2012) case, Justice Arnold ruled that users of the site as well as its operators infringe copyright. Users who download copies of sound recordings violate the right of reproduction. Users who make sound recordings available for downloading make them available to the public and are liable for communicating the sound recordings to the public. The Pirate Bay is liable for authorizing the infringement of its users. It is also liable for infringement based on the accessorial liability theories of joint infringement and inducement.

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Posted in authorization, blocking orders, C-11, communication to the public, Copyright, copyright reform, jurisdiction, making available right, Piracy, Reproduction, WIPO Treaties

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Reining in the rhetoric on copyright reform

February 8th, 2012

This blog post is a longer version of the article entitled This Bill is no SOPA published in the Financial Post  today.

While recent attempts by the usual suspects making hysterical predictions about copyright reform in Canada have been ratcheted up yet again, this time the claims are so outrageous that they can perhaps best be described as having “jumped the shark”. Canadians are being told that Bill C-11, an act to amend Canada’s outdated copyright law, could be used to shut down popular web sites like YouTube, fundamentally change the Internet, sabotage online freedoms, and hog-tie innovators.

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Posted in C-11, contributory infringement, Copyright, copyright reform, DRMs, Geist, ISP Liability, Piracy, TPMs, WIPO Treaties

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Copyright Bill C-11 gets second reading in the House of Commons

October 19th, 2011

Yesterday Bill C-11 was given second reading in the House of Commons. The statements by the Government and opposition parties can be found here.

For the record, Industry Minister Christian Paradis said the following in speaking about the Bill in the House:

Mr. Speaker, as you know, this is the second time that the government has introduced this bill. During the previous Parliament and for almost a year, the Copyright Modernization Act—then known as Bill C-32—was carefully examined and debated by parliamentarians and stakeholders.

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Posted in C-11, Copyright, copyright reform, Piracy, TPMs, WIPO Treaties

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Some observations on Bill C-11: The Copyright Modernization Act

October 3rd, 2011

Last Thursday the Government of Canada introduced into the House of Commons Bill C-11, an Act to Amend the Copyright Act. In a press release describing the Bill, Heritage Minister James Moore and Industry Minister Christian Paradis, stated that the Bill will ensure that Canada’s copyright laws “are modern, flexible, and in line with current international standards” and will “protect and help create jobs, promote innovation, and attract new investment to Canada.”

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Posted in c-32, Copyright, copyright reform, Fair Dealing, Fair Use, Geist, Graduated Response, ISP exceptions, ISP Liability, Piracy, statutory damages, Three Strikes, TPMs, WIPO Treaties

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G8 declaration: Internet and IP critical to innovation

May 30th, 2011

The leaders of the G8 concluded their meetings last week with a renewed commitment to freedom and democracy. They released a declaration dealing with a variety of topics including the importance of the Internet and intellectual property as catalysts to innovation. The declaration also highlights the challenges of maintaining the privacy and security of networks and network communications.

The declaration on the Internet made the link between the Internet and innovation as follows:

For business, the Internet has become an essential and irreplaceable tool for the conduct of commerce and development of relations with consumers. The Internet is a driver of innovation, improves efficiency, and thus contributes to growth and employment…

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Posted in E-commerce, intellectual property, Piracy, Privacy, WIPO Treaties

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