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	<title>IP Justice</title>
	<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp</link>
	<description>IP Justice is an international civil liberties organization promoting balanced intellectual property laws in a digital world.</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:22:24 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<docs>http://backend.userland.com/rss092</docs>
	<language>en</language>
	
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		<title>Lack of Transparency Surrounding Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) Negotiations Causes Concern For Many Public Interest Groups</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The proposed global treaty to address intellectual property rights in a digital environment  spurs letters, petitions to US Obama Administration to open the process to public view. The public interest and the concerns of developing countries and small business have been left out of international treaty negotiation process to date providing a skewed proposal, a new leak has confirmed.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/11/06/lack-of-transparency-surrounding-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-acta-negotiations-causes-concern-for-many-public-interest-groups/</link>
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		<title>IP Justice and Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure File Amicus Brief to US Supreme Court on Software Patents</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Two international intellectual property policy groups IP Justice and the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) filed an Amicus Curiae Brief in the United States Supreme Court in the Bilski v. Kappos case dealing with software patents.   The US Supreme Court's decision in this case is expected to be a landmark decision on the limits of patentability on abstract ideas....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/10/08/ip-justice-and-foundation-for-a-free-information-infrastructure-ffii-file-amicus-brief-to-us-supreme-court-on-software-patents/</link>
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		<title>US Agreement With ICANN Leaves Much Undone: The oversight of the Internet&#8217;s infrastructure will become more international under a new government agreement with ICANN. But many concerns remain unresolved (Information Week)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The US government appears to be loosening its grip on the governance of the Internet, a move welcomed by many. But critics see the government shirking its obligations to support free expression and free trade. ... ICANN can interfere with freedom of expression by censoring the domain name space and regulating the use of the space indirectly.  Experts criticize the US Commerce Department for "its longstanding indifference to basic civil liberties concerns...."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/10/03/us-agreement-with-icann-leaves-much-undone-the-oversight-of-the-internets-infrastructure-will-become-more-international-under-a-new-government-agreement-with-icann-but-many-concerns-remain-unresol/</link>
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		<title>ICANN Accountability Post-JPA: No Meaningful Change Expected</title>
		<description><![CDATA[While many are dancing in the streets over today's decision by the US Government to loosen some of its ties to ICANN as its a single governmental authority, I'm not convinced this decision will change much on a practical level.  The Affirmation of Commitments was signed today by ICANN and the US Government to replace the Joint Project Agreement, and expand oversight to a more international community.  Unfortunately ICANN still lacks any framework for meaningful accountability to the public.  And recent efforts seem to indicate noncommercial interests are being systematically squeezed out of ICANN, which is dominated by lobbyists from big business and special interests.   Adding more governments to ICANN's accountability framework is good on many levels since it recognizes the important global resource that we all share and depend upon and have a right to shape the policy of. ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/09/30/icann-accountability-post-jpa/</link>
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		<title>ICANN Staff Up To Same Old &#8220;Divide &#038; Conquer&#8221; of Civil Society Strategy</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I had a conversation recently with a person who had been actively engaged at ICANN in its early days but became disillusioned and disengaged after a few years because his participation lead him to the conclusion that ICANN staff manage the organization's board of directors and the "community" via the GNSO and the At-Large Advisory Committee.  He said the staff intentionally worked to stir up divisiveness between community participants in order to justify adopting the staff's own agenda.  Before I even had the opportunity to say my first word about my own experience with participating at ICANN, this person who hadn't even been at ICANN in nearly 10 years spoke my thoughts and described my own experience about participating at ICANN for the last 5 years as I have.  ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/09/22/icann-staff-up-to-same-old-divide-conquer-of-civil-society-strategy/</link>
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		<title>Public Interest Groups in ICANN Appeal to New President For Fairer Treatment For Civil Society</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The organization that represents Non-Commercial Internet Users in the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) issued an open letter to the Board this week, expressing concern about the possible failure of ICANN's attempt to balance the representation of commercial and noncommercial interests.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/09/03/public-interest-groups-in-icann-appeal-to-new-president-for-fairer-treatment-for-civil-society/</link>
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		<title>ICANN GNSO Chair Joins the Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) to Support Civil Society at ICANN</title>
		<description><![CDATA[GNSO Chair Avri Doria joined ICANN's Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) to support civil society at ICANN in its struggle for a stakeholder group charter that is drafted in a bottom-up fashion and considers the needs of noncommercial users of the Internet.  Although not a card-carrying member of NCUC before now, Doria had been a long time supporter of civil society at ICANN with strong ties to noncommercial users and individual Internet users.  Doria had been appointed to serve three terms on the GNSO Council from ICANN's Nominating Committee (first was a partial term) and she was elected to Chair the GNSO Council thrice..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/08/24/icann-gnso-chair-joins-the-non-commercial-users-constituency-ncuc-to-support-civil-society-at-icann/</link>
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		<title>&#8220;Top Ten Myths About Civil Society Participation in ICANN&#8221; From the Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ICANN Staff and the commercial constituencies at ICANN have been busy spreading mis-information about civil society participation at ICANN - largely to keep civil society and noncommercial interests marginalized.  For example, ICANN is not allowing the noncommercial users to elect their representatives on the GNSO Policy Council and will instead "appoint" representatives, unlike all the other constituencies at ICANN.  Here are a few of the top myths spread about civil society at ICANN and the truth about these myths.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/08/21/top-ten-myths-about-civil-society-participation-in-icann-from-the-non-commercial-users-constituency-ncuc/</link>
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		<title>Letter from Non-Commercial Users to ICANN Board of Directors and CEO on Stakeholder Group Charter Issue</title>
		<description><![CDATA[This letter comes from nearly 150 individual and organizational members of ICANN’s Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC).  It is also endorsed by public interest groups outside of NCUC.  We are all deeply concerned about the July 30, 2009 ICANN Board decisions regarding the restructuring of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO).  We believe that the Noncommercial Stakeholder Group (NCSG) chartering process has been seriously flawed on both procedural and substantive grounds.  We appeal to you to address these problems before permanent damage is done to ICANN’s reputation, to the GNSO reform process, and to the interests of noncommercial users of the Internet....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/08/18/letter-from-non-commercial-users-to-icann-board-of-directors-and-ceo-on-stakeholder-group-charter-issue/</link>
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		<title>Will ICANN Listen to Civil Society and Respect Noncommercial Users?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Public comments on stakeholder group charters are in - again. Comments submitted to ICANN were overwhelmingly in favor of reinstating the consensus charter submitted by noncommercial users.  The Internet Governance Project asks "Is ICANN Listening?" to civil society yet.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/07/26/will-icann-listen-to-civil-society-and-respect-noncommercial-users/</link>
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		<title>Scooby Doo and Mystery Crew Take on ICANN to Defend Noncommercial Users</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Longtime ICANN participant Harold Feld's amusing tale of Scooby Doo and the Mystery Crew go to ICANN. "...recycling the same tired plot line of ICANN staff and Business &#038; IP constituencies trying to limit the ability of the Non-commercial User Constituency (NCUC) to “cause trouble” — especially those meddling civil society do-gooders Milton Mueller and Robin Gross. Season after season, we get to see the same accusations that NCUC is “divisive,” or “not representative” or other code words for “Goddam it! Get those $#@! civil society groups out of our club house!!!!”...."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/07/24/could-ntia-please-put-icann-out-of-its-misery-before-it-embarresses-itself-further/</link>
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		<title>ICANN Injustices in Stakeholder Group Charters - Ask ICANN to Respect Democratic Process and Noncommercial Users</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The public is invited to send an email to ICANN on the subject of the injustices of the draft charters proposed for the noncommercial and commercial stakeholder groups in the new GNSO.  ICANN will accept public comment on the subject until 23 July. Send a comment to ICANN by sending an email to gnso-stakeholder-charters@icann.org.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/07/21/icann-injustices-in-stakeholder-group-charters-tell-icann-to-respect-democratic-process-and-noncommercial-users/</link>
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		<title>Letter to Support Public Access to Tax-Payer Funded Research</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Public Interest Organizations Thank US Senators Lieberman and Cornyn for Sponsoring Bill to Improve Public Access to Research Funded By Tax-Payers.  IP Justice, Knowledge Ecology International, Electronic Frontier Foundation, OXFAM, Essential Action, Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, are part of a broad coalition of groups ....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/07/21/letter-to-support-public-access-to-tax-payer-funded-research/</link>
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		<title>IP Justice in Financial Times on ICANN Being Driven by Commercial Interests</title>
		<description><![CDATA["Icann is full of people who work for corporations and think that Icann should be run like one. When I try to remind people that it is a not-for-profit public benefit organisation, they look at me like I am mad.  Icann is dominated by commercial stakeholder groups" said Robin Gross, a cyberspace rights lawyer, and executive director of IP Justice, an international civil liberties organisation. "In Iran the protesters were able to communicate with the outside world because of proxy servers that allowed them to remain anonymous. But there are working groups within Icann working to prevent anonymous proxy servers because they might interfere with trademarks."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/07/16/ip-justices-robin-gross-in-financial-times-on-icann-being-driven-by-commercial-interests/</link>
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		<title>Is ICANN Accountable to the Global Public Interest? ICANN Ignores Non-Commercial Users in Internet Policy Development Process</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The message is clear.  ICANN has forgotten who it works for - us - Internet users - including noncommercial users.  Now is the time to remind ICANN that it must be accountable to the global public interest or it has no business in Internet governance.    Tell ICANN to listen to noncommercial users and not to impose the stranglehold charter on noncommercial users against our will. Thomas Jefferson noted that the exercise of political power without the consent of the governed is illegitimate.   ICANN's attempt to impose a governance structure on noncommercial users against our will calls into question ICANN's legitimacy to govern; it undermines confidence in ICANN's commitment to democratic values; and it appears ICANN is unable to protect the broader public interest against commercial pressures. We must remind ICANN to protect the public interest and the rights of noncommercial users - all of us.  Send a quick email to ICANN today.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/07/13/is-icann-accountable-to-the-global-public-interest-icann-ignores-non-commercial-users-in-internet-policy-development-process/</link>
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		<title>Membership Roster of ICANN&#8217;s Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Including Both Non-Commercial Organizations &#038; Individuals.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/07/12/membership-roster-of-icanns-non-commercial-users-constituency-ncuc/</link>
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		<title>IP Justice Comments on ICANN Proposal to Expand Trademarks Rights in Domain Names</title>
		<description><![CDATA[IP Justice submitted comments today in opposition to the proposals contained in the "IRT Report" a proposal from ICANN's Intellectual Property Constituency to create new trademark rights to domain names that do not exist in law.
ICANN's Noncommercial Users Constituency (NCUC) also filed comments with ICANN discussing thesubstantive problems with the proposal and also the procedural concerns, which led to the creation of a one-sided report....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/07/06/ip-justice-comments-on-icann-proposal-to-expand-trademarks-in-domain-names-2/</link>
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		<title>EFF &#038; PK: Government Still Blocking Information on Secret IP Enforcement Treaty</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Broken Promises from the Obama Administration Keep Americans in the Dark About ACTA.  Public interest groups today called on the US government to stop blocking the release of information about a secret intellectual property trade agreement with broad implications for privacy and innovation around the world. EFF and Public Knowledge said that the April 30th release of 36 pages of material by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) was the 2nd time the government had the opportunity to provide some public insight into the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), but declined to do so.  More than a thousand pages of material about ACTA are still being withheld, despite the Obama administration's promises to run a more open government....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/05/06/eff-pk-government-still-blocking-information-on-secret-ip-enforcement-treaty/</link>
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		<title>Global Civil Society Weighs In Supporting Petition for a Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group at ICANN</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Dozens of civil society organizations from all corners of the globe signed a statement submitted to ICANN's Public Forum supporting the proposal to form a Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group (NCSG) from the Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC).  Supporters of NCUC's petition include non-commercial organizations such as Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Public Knowledge, FreePress, European Digital Rights Initiative, ARTICLE 19, EPIC, Rits-Brazil, Alfa-Redi, Association for Progressive Communications, African Commons, Internet Society of Mauritius, UWI At-Large, ICT Consumers Association of Kenya, Knowledge Ecology International, Privacy International, Yale Law School Information Society Project, and dozens more...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/05/01/global-civil-society-weighs-in-supporting-petition-for-a-non-commercial-stakeholder-group-at-icann/</link>
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		<title>Robin Gross on CBC Radio&#8217;s &#8220;As It Happens&#8221; to Discuss Sweden&#8217;s Pirate Bay Legal Decision</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/04/18/robin-gross-on-cbc-radios-as-it-happens-to-discuss-swedens-pirate-bay-legal-decision/</link>
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		<title>Global Civil Society Statement in Support of Petition for a Non-Commercial Stakeholders Group at ICANN</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Over 60 Non-Commercial Organizations from all corners of the globe signed in support of the petition from the Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) for a stakeholder group at ICANN including Article 19, Privacy International, EPIC, FreePress, Asociatia pentru Tehnologie si Internet, EDRi, Public Knowledge, CPSR, Electronic Frontier Foundation, ICT Consumer Association of Kenya, AGEA DENSI, Association for Progressive Communications, Knowledge Ecology International, University of West Indies At Large Structure, RITS, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication, Alfa-Redi, Internet Society Mauritius, International Institute for Sustainable Development, FGV-CTS, Asociación por los Derechos Civiles, and many more NGOs]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/04/15/global-civil-society-statement-in-support-of-petition-for-a-non-commercial-stakeholders-group-at-icann/</link>
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		<title>Ralph Yarro and His Anti-Porn Crusaders March on ICANN &#038; Demand Global Censorship</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ICANN is accepting comments from the public on the proposed censorship constituency until 5 April 2009.  SCO Group Chairman Ralph Yarro III, the ultra-conservative behind what Business Week dubbed "the most hated company in tech" (SCO) for stealing the computer code of thousands of Linux open source programmers is now behind efforts to flood ICANN with identical form letters encouraging the adoption of Yarro's "Cybersafety" Constituency during the Public Comment Period.  The proposed "Cybersafety" Constituency claims to be concerned with "safety", but in reality is just a couple of anti-porn extremists in Yarro's flock who see ICANN as an opportunity for control of the flow of information on the Internet.  The proposed constituency is run by CP80, Yarro's anti-porn outfit that argues for using ICANN as a 'choke point' to impose global censorship on the Internet.  Naturally, Yarro and his anti-porn zealots at CP80 propose that they know what is best for you and to what information you should be permitted access. Send ICANN a comment today.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/03/19/robert-yarro-and-his-anti-porn-crusaders-march-on-icann/</link>
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		<title>Non-Commercial Users File Petition to Form Stake-Holder Group at ICANN</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The essential elements of this proposal are: Noncommercial stakeholders join the NCSG directly, and the NCSG keeps track of membership and administers voting for Council seats by the membership as a whole. The NCSG is administered by an annually elected Chair and a Policy Committee. The Policy Committee is composed of the 6 elected GNSO Councilors and one representative from each Constituency. There are three classes of membership: 1) large organizations (which receive 4 votes), small organizations (which receive 2 votes) and individuals (who receive 1 vote).
Constituencies are formed as sub-units within the NCSG.  We have deliberately made it relatively easy to form and join constituencies; at the same time we have de-linked Constituency formation from Council seats so that NCSG participants do not have artificial incentives to fragment into competing groups.  If the Board wishes to approve constituency formation under these terms we will embody this requirement in the charter. Constituencies are given special rights to propose Working Groups and assured that their positions are incorporated into any and all public comments submitted by the NCSG into the policy development process. To protect the voice of minorities in the policy process, we require all NCSG representatives on the GNSO Council to vote in favor of the formation of a Working Group if it has the support of 1/3 of the constituencies or 1/5 of the whole membership.....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/03/16/non-commercial-users-file-petition-to-form-stake-holder-group-at-icann/</link>
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		<title>Canada Favours Early Release of ACTA Text (Geist)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["While the U.S. claims that ACTA documents are a matter of national security and the European Parliament demands greater transparency, it would appear that the Canadian delegation would favour an early release of the draft treaty.  According to a confidential November 2008 memorandum that was prepared for Stockwell Day, the Minister of International Trade obtained under the Access to Information Act: At the upcoming meeting in December 2008, given its commitment to transparency in international trade negotiations, the Canadian delegation plans to argue for a transparent approach. . . This approach would result in an earlier release of the text, which would serve to alleviate domestic concerns about the scope of the agreement and the perceived secrecy surrounding the process.  The draft text could then serve as the basis for broad-based public consultations.  Should there be no consensus among the ACTA partners to make the ACTA text public, the Department will need to develop options to address Canadian stakeholders concerns about the lack of transparency in the ACTA process....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/03/14/canada-favours-early-release-of-acta-text-geist/</link>
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		<title>Who are the cleared advisors that have access to secret ACTA documents? (KEI)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["The negotiating text of ACTA and many other documents, including even the lists of participants in the negotiations, are secret. The US White House claims the secrecy is required as a matter of "national security".  But that does not mean the documents are off limits to everyone outside of the government. Hundreds of advisors, many of them corporate lobbyists, are considered “cleared advisors.” They have access to the ACTA documents.  Who are these cleared advisors? They are the members of these 27 USTR advisory boards:..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/03/13/who-are-the-cleared-advisors-that-have-access-to-secret-acta-documents-kei/</link>
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		<title>European Parliament to EU: Turn over ACTA docs! (Ars Technica)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The European Parliament has demanded more transparency in the EU, and it made a point of singling out the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.  Parliament has been considering a general transparency bill, but one amendment to the bill demanded access to ACTA documents—access that negotiators have so far been unwilling to provide.  "In accordance with Article 255(1) of the EC Treaty, the Commission should immediately make all documents related to the ongoing international negotiations on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) publicly available," says the amendment.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/03/12/european-parliament-to-eu-turn-over-acta-docs-ars-technica/</link>
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		<title>Copyright treaty is classified for &#8216;national security&#8217; (CNET)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["President Obama's White House has tightened the cloak of government secrecy still further, saying in a letter this week that a discussion draft of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and related materials are "classified in the interest of national security pursuant to Executive Order 12958."  The 1995 Executive Order 12958 allows material to be classified only if disclosure would do "damage to the national security and the original classification authority is able to identify or describe the damage."
Jamie Love, director of the nonprofit group Knowledge Ecology International, filed the Freedom of Information Act request that resulted in this week's denial from the White House. The denial letter was sent to Love by the chief FOIA officer in the White House's Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Love had written in his original request on January 31--submitted soon after Obama's inauguration--that the documents "are being widely circulated to corporate lobbyists in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. There is no reason for them to be secret from the American public."....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/03/12/copyright-treaty-is-classified-for-national-security-cnet/</link>
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		<title>WTO Panel Decision on IP Case Favorable to China, Experts Say (TWN)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["The World Trade Organization on 26 January issued a panel report in a case brought by the US challenging China's enforcement of intellectual property rights. While the case has been commonly reported as a victory for the US, careful and detailed analysis of the panel ruling indicates that China's intellectual property laws have been
vindicated in the most important areas that were disputed.  Experts have actually characterized it as a loss for the US. University of Ottawa law professor Dr. Michael Geist said that "the headlines get it wrong. The US did not win this case, but rather lost badly"...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/02/16/wto-panel-decision-on-ip-case-favorable-to-china-experts-say-twn/</link>
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		<title>ACTA, ISP Liability, Limitations &#038; Exceptions Top Global Copyright Issues in 2009 (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement has sparked an outcry from public interest groups. “The speed with which it has been rushed through - and the secrecy of the meetings and the provisions is alarming,” said IP Justice Executive Director Robin Gross. ACTA will make routine surveillance of laptops, iPods and other devices in the hope of finding questionable music, videos and other information “a de facto standard for every airport in the world,” she said. The proposal also shifts the costs of enforcing private rights to the public, she said. So far civil society and developing countries have been barred from talks, she added..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/02/09/acta-isp-liability-limitations-exceptions-top-global-copyright-issues-in-2009-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>Battaglia di copyright sul poster-icona di Obama (La Repubblica)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Il suo poster, con i colori della bandiera americana e la scritta "Hope", speranza, ha fatto il giro del mondo, è stato riprodotto in migliaia di riviste e siti Internet, diventando il simbolo della campagna per le presidenziali di Barack Obama. Ma ora Shepard Fairey, il 38enne illustratore di Los Angeles che con quella locandina ha acquisito fama mondiale, si trova improvvisamente al centro di un presunto caso di violazione di copyright: l'agenzia Associated Press ha accusato l'artista di aver copiato il ritratto del 44esimo Presidente degli Stati Uniti da una foto di sua proprietà.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/02/06/battaglia-di-copyright-sul-poster-icona-di-obama-la-repubblica/</link>
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		<title>Associated Press Erroneously Claims Copyright Infringement on Obama&#8217;s Image in Campaign Poster</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Poster-Child Case for Fair Use or Illegal Art?  The Associated Press is claiming that it is the copyright owner of a photograph of President Obama that was used by an Obama supporter to create to poster for the political campaign and the now-famous poster is a copyright infringement of its photo.  However this case could be considered the "poster-child" case for fair use.  It is unfortunate that the AP is trying to turn political expression into illegal art.  But these facts would be a good opportunity to set some positive legal precedent protecting fair use of political expression should the AP pursue this matter in the courts. ..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/02/04/associated-press-erroneously-claims-copyright-infringement-on-obamas-image-in-campaign-poster/</link>
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		<title>AP Alleges Copyright Infringement of Obama Image (Associated Press)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["Robin Gross, an intellectual property attorney who heads IP Justice, an international civil liberties organization, believes that Fairey had the right to use the photo, saying that he intended it for a political cause, not commercial use.  "Fairey's purpose of the use for the photo was political or civic, and this will certainly count in favor of the poster being a fair use," said Gross, based in San Francisco. "Nor will the poster diminish the value of the photo, if anything, it has increased the original photo's value beyond measure, another factor counting heavily in favor of fair use."...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/02/04/ap-alleges-copyright-infringement-of-obama-image-associated-press/</link>
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		<title>Details Emerge of Secret ACTA Negotiation (KEI)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["There are plans for the next ACTA negotiation to take place in Rabat, Morocco.  However, since none of the Obama trade people have been placed at USTR, this might be delayed.  The USTR is still maintaining secrecy over details of the negotiation, including the names of participants and all of the proposed texts for negotiations.  Despite this, KEI has obtained some documents related to the negotiations.  We can report the following:  The U.S. and Japan have proposed that willful trademark and copyright infringement on a commercial scale be subject to criminal sanctions, including infringement that has “no direct or indirect motivation of financial gain.” This will further: include sentences of imprisonment as well as monetary fines sufficiently high to provide a deterrent to future acts of infringement, consistent with a policy of removing the monetary incentive of the infringer...."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/02/03/details-emerge-of-secret-acta-negotiation-kei/</link>
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		<title>WTO Issues Final Decision On US-China Copyright Dispute (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[China has been found in violation of two of its responsibilities under international rules on trade and intellectual property, and in partial violation of one more, said a World Trade Organization panel report on the US-China dispute over copyright and customs matters released Monday. But the panel did not make a decision on some of the US claims.  The panel has recommended that China alter its copyright law and customs measures to be consistent with its obligations under the WTO Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.  The final report finds China’s copyright law inconsistent with Article 9 of the TRIPS agreement, which incorporates the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Work. The panel stated that China is inconsistent with Berne Convention Rule 5(1), which requires that foreign owners of creative works receive the same protection as domestic owners of similar material....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/01/27/wto-issues-final-decision-on-us-china-copyright-dispute-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>Why the U.S. Lost Its WTO IP Complaint Against China.  Badly.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The World Trade Organization yesterday released its much-anticipated decision involving a U.S. complaint against China over its protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.  The U.S. quickly proclaimed victory, with newspaper headlines trumpeting the WTO panel's requirement that China reform elements of its intellectual property laws.  For its part, China was conciliatory and offered to work with the international community to resolve the concerns raised by the decision.  Reuters notes that the Chinese reaction is far less combative than it has been other issues....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/01/27/why-the-us-lost-its-wto-ip-complaint-against-china-badly/</link>
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		<title>WTO Decision in US v. China on IPR (China won on key points, US won minor points)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Read the WTO Decision Here.  The WTO, on 26 January 2009, issued the report of a panel that had examined United States’ complaint against “China — Measures affecting the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights” (DS362).]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/01/26/wto-decision-in-us-v-china-on-ipr-china-won-on-key-points-us-won-minor-points/</link>
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		<title>Obama Picks Hollywood&#8217;s Favorite Lawyer for a Top Justice Post</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Obama's voting record in the US Senate on civil rights issues always troubled me.  Sure, he talks beautifully.  But he voted for some of the worst things that the Bush Administration did to the US and the world (surveillance on US citizens in Patriot Act, telecom immunity for spying, invading Iraq, etc).  So it should not be surprising to learn in this article from CNET News that Obama has picked attorneys for the notorious Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to lead his Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.  Ironically, attorneys who sue Peer-2-Peer file-sharers, chip away at online free expression guarantees, and have systematically worked to eliminate the privacy rights of US consumers are being put in charge of setting US legal policy by Obama.  Disappointing.  Is it possible that Obama's information policy platform will be even worse than Bush's?  It looks like the same industries are calling the shots regardless of whether a red shirt or a blue shirt is worn in the White House.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/01/07/obama-picks-hollywoods-favorite-lawyer-for-a-top-justice-post/</link>
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		<title>No ACTA Deal Yet As EU Parliament Seeks Narrower Scope, More Transparency (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["As negotiations on the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) continued in Paris this week with again no public details the European Parliament Thursday sent a strong signal by requesting transparency in the negotiations.  Parliament meeting in Strasbourg on 18 December passed a resolution on the impact of counterfeiting in international trade “calls on the [European] Commission and the member states to negotiate ACTA under conditions of the utmost transparency towards the EU citizen.” Parliament also demanded clear limits to the scope of ACTA in various aspects....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/12/20/no-acta-deal-yet-as-eu-parliament-seeks-narrower-scope-more-transparency-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>Canada&#8217;s Official Statement on Dec. 2008 ACTA Negotiations</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The meeting was opened by French Trade Minister, Mrs. Anne-Marie Idrac, who reaffirmed the strong commitment of the EU in favour of intellectual property rights (IPR), against counterfeiting and piracy, and called for constructive and ambitious negotiations.  Participants reaffirmed their commitments to negotiate an agreement to combat global infringements of IPR, particularly in the context of counterfeiting and piracy, by increasing international cooperation, strengthening the framework of practices that contribute to effective enforcement, and strengthening relevant IPR enforcement measures themselves. This meeting was the fourth in a series of negotiations to discuss proposals concerning different aspects of the proposed agreement.  The discussion focused on international cooperation, enforcement practices and institutional issues. Participants also continued previous discussions on criminal enforcement of IPR. They also shared information on approaches to fighting IPR infringements on the Internet. Participants made steady progress in these discussions.  Participants shared the results of consultations that had been held with their respective stakeholders and noted the interests expressed by stakeholders in receiving more information. Participants agreed on the importance of transparency and on holding further discussions on sharing additional information with the public.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/12/19/canadas-official-statement-on-dec-2008-acta-negotiations/</link>
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		<title>Paris ACTA Meetings Wrap Up: We&#8217;re Safe Until March 2009 (Ars Technica)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["Negotiations on the controversial and largely secret Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) race ever onward, but the process isn't moving quite as fast as proponents had hoped. No deal will now happen before the end of the year, nor before a new US administration takes the reins in late January.  Another round of ACTA negotiations wrapped up yesterday in Paris, this one hosted by the EU and chaired by the French Trade Minister. Most governments involved in the process appear bent on saying almost nothing about it due the "delicate nature" of the negotiating process, but Japan's Foreign Ministry has released the barest of details from this week's meeting (and in English, no less).....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/12/19/paris-acta-meetings-wrap-up-were-safe-until-march-2009-ars-technica/</link>
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		<title>USTR Statement on Dec. 2008 ACTA Negotiations in Paris</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The meeting was opened by French Trade Minister, Mrs. Anne-Marie Idrac, who reaffirmed the strong commitment of the EU in favour of intellectual property rights (IPR), against counterfeiting and piracy, and called for constructive and ambitious negotiations. Participants reaffirmed their commitments to negotiate an agreement to combat global infringements of IPR, particularly in the context of counterfeiting and piracy, ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/12/18/ustr-statement-on-dec-2008-acta-negotiations-in-paris/</link>
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		<title>Internet Governance Forum: ACTA A Possible Show-Stopper For IP Progress (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The third annual United Nations-led Internet Governance Forum in Hyderabad, India this month addressed a range of topics related to intellectual property rights and the free flow of information, and provided a venue for doubts about a closed-door international anti-counterfeiting treaty negotiation being led by the United States and Japan.  The proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) intended to align governments in their fights against illicit trade, might have the effect of stopping more positive developments in intellectual property law that emerged over the last year, warned activists ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/12/14/internet-governance-forum-acta-a-possible-show-stopper-for-ip-progress-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>Get Involved in Internet Policy at ICANN: NonCommercial Users Constituency (NCUC) Membership Drive</title>
		<description><![CDATA[CALL TO ACTION: Individuals and nonprofit organizations are invited to join ICANN's Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) to become involved in Internet policy discussions. Protect privacy rights, free expression guarantees, and due process of law regarding Internet domain names by getting involved and joining NCUC today.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/12/02/get-involved-in-internet-policy-at-icann-noncommercial-users-constituency-ncuc-membership-drive/</link>
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		<title>A2K@IGF Dynamic Coalition Session: Access to Knowledge and Freedom of Expression Policies for the Development of a Global Information Economy”</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Hyderabad, India - 5 December 2008]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/12/01/a2kigf-dynamic-coalition-session-access-to-knowledge-and-freedom-of-expression-policies-for-the-development-of-a-global-information-economy%e2%80%9d/</link>
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		<title>Canadian Govt. Keeps ACTA Consultation Results Under Wraps</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The documents confirm that two countries - the United States and Japan - have emerged as the primary supporters and drafters of the treaty.  Countries have met three times in recent months to discuss elements of the treaty with those two countries providing draft treaty language to the other participants just prior to the formal meeting. For example, in late May, the U.S. and Japan forwarded draft treaty language on new border measures provisions to the Canadian delegation, two weeks before a round of talks in Washington.  According to Australian officials, subsequent meetings in Geneva and Tokyo addressed statutory damages and criminal provisions for unauthorized camcording. The next meeting is set for Brussels in early December with Internet issues on the agenda...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/11/03/canadian-govt-keeps-acta-consultation-results-under-wraps/</link>
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		<title>European NGO FFII Opposes Stealth Legislation, Demands ACTA Documents Be Made Public</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) has requested 12 secret Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) documents from the EU Council. Behind closed doors, the EU, US, Japan and other countries are negotiating ACTA. The negotiating parties plan on making the ACTA text public only after the parties have agreed to it.  Based on leaked information, the FFII is deeply concerned that ACTA may give patent trolls further means to extort companies, lead to monitoring all citizens' Internet communications and criminalize peer-to-peer electronic file sharing.
Parliaments and the public are in the dark about ACTA. Stakeholders, experts and public interest organisations can not scrutinize ACTA documents. Both the European Parliament and the member states of the EU have vetoes on aspects of ACTA. FFII analyst Ante Wessels says: "Parliaments cannot build an informed opinion about ACTA and therefore will not be well prepared to use their power."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/11/03/european-ngo-ffii-opposes-stealth-legislation-demands-acta-documents-be-made-public/</link>
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		<title>EU NGO (FFII) Analysis of Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty (ACTA)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Behind closed doors the EU, US, Japan and other countries negotiate an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). A leaked discussion paper mentions types of provisions that could be included. According to the European Commission's website, a "path breaking" agreement is foreseen. For this reason the Commission likes to work outside the normal formal structures. Indeed, the leaked document contains unprecedented measures. We will analyse the Community's competence to conclude ACTA and proportionality issues.
The Community's efforts to fight piracy suffers from a fundamental misconception. It fails to make adequate distinctions between commercial piracy enterprises, legitimate/lawful activities undertaken by business competitors, or even the common activities of ordinary Europeans. As a result harsh measures aimed at commercial piracy enterprises also hurt business competitors and civilians.  The types of provisions mentioned in the leaked ACTA document show the same misconception. It mentions criminal provisions against trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy. Contrary to the TRIPS agreement, “wilfull” and “commercial scale” are not mentioned as conditions. Should non-wilful acts be crimes on a world scale?
In the section on criminal enforcement, the discussion paper broadens the definition of commercial scale so far it includes non-commercial acts. This is a serious threat to the freedom of speech, the internet and to privacy. A trade agreement that criminalises civilians on a world scale? Trade agreements are not meant for that. ACTA may create an unprecedented scope of secondary liability for Internet intermediaries, ICTs, software vendors and a range of legitimate business activities.  The discussion paper mentions a dispute settlement committtee to solve implementation issues. Dedicated committees tend to quickly become a champion for its specialty. We have to fear a worst case scenario here.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/11/02/eu-ngo-ffii-analysis-of-anti-counterfeiting-treaty-acta/</link>
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		<title>Open Letter to World Customs Organization Concerning Increased Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We the undersigned public interest groups and individuals are writing to raise our concerns about recent developments in the World Customs Organisation, in particular the setting of intellectual property enforcement standards that go beyond the TRIPS agreement (TRIPS plus) in the SECURE Working Group, the lack of dialogue with, and involvement of public interest organisations in the standard setting process and the lack of transparency
surrounding the Working Group’s work. The Expansive IP enforcement standards being pushed hurriedly in the SECURE Working Group are of deep concern. It is well known
that the recent push for strong TRIPS plus enforcement standards comes from developed countries and their commercial entities, and they are seeking international organizations to set such standards on their behalf. Noting the recent developments at the WCO, it appears that WCO is targeted as one such organisation. ...
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/10/28/open-letter-to-world-customs-organization-concerning-increased-enforcement-of-intellectual-property-rights/</link>
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		<title>Freedom Not Fear Day 2008 International Campaign</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Please Join IP Justice, EPIC, and EFF in signing the Freedom Not Fear Declaration.  In recognition of Freedom not Fear Day, many US organizations set out the following recommendations: - End Watch Lists, Fusion Centers and other data profiling programs that fail to comply with the full requirements of the federal Privacy Act; - Affirm international human rights, including freedom of expression and privacy protection, so as to strengthen democratic institutions and protect the rights of individuals; - Repeal the Patriot Act and other legal authorities that permit warrantless surveillance and unconstitutional monitoring and tracking of individuals; - End the culture of secrecy that allows government officials to hide mismanagement, fraud, and incompetence behind the veil of "homeland security"; - Establish comprehensive data protection legislation that will safeguard personal information and reduce the risk of identity theft and security breaches.  Please join us.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/10/09/freedom-not-fear-day-2008-international-campaign/</link>
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		<title>Cautionary Letter on Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) from US Senators Leahy and Specter to US Trade Representative (USTR)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["... we urge you not to rush into a new, broad Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement that may have significant impact on intellectual property protection at home and abroad..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/10/02/cautionary-letter-on-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-acta-from-us-senators-leahy-and-specter-to-us-trade-representative-ustr/</link>
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		<title>Secret ACTA Treaty Emerges Blinking into Sunlight (Ars Technica)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The much-maligned, drafted-in-secret, Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, is an odd beast. It's being drafted by a group that includes the US, the EU, and Japan... but also Canada, Mexico, and Korea, which are on US Trade Representative's "special 301" watch list for intellectual property problems. No draft of the text has yet been revealed, even though the goal was to push ACTA through by the end of the year. And a host of proposed "Internet provisions" have raised the specter of graduated response, ISP filtering, and even iPod searches at the border.  This isn't a worry shared by only a few crackpots; everyone from the EFF to Verizon, from IP Justice to Yahoo, from Public Knowledge to Intel has raised concerns about the Internet provisions, and on Monday these groups finally had a chance to ask questions of USTR. Stan McCoy of the USTR's Office responded....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/24/secret-acta-treaty-emerges-blinking-into-sunlight-arstechnicathis-isnt-a-worry-shared-by-only-a-few-crackpots-everyone-from-the-eff-to-verizon-from-ip-justice-to-yahoo-from-public-knowledge-to/</link>
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		<title>Coalition of Technology Companies and Digital Rights Groups Comment on ACTA to USTR</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Joint Statement on ACTA from American Association of Law Libraries, American Library Association, Association of Research Libraries, Center for Democracy &#038; Technology
Computer &#038; Communications Industry Association, Consumer Electronics Association
Digital Future Coalition, Entertainment Consumers Association, Home Recording Rights Coalition, Information Technology Association of America, Intel Corporation, Internet Commerce Coalition, IP Justice, Knowledge Ecology International, Medical Library Association NetCoalition, Public Knowledge, Special Libraries Association, US Internet Industry Association, Verizon, Yahoo! Inc.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/18/coalition-of-technology-companies-and-digital-rights-groups-comment-on-acta-to-ustr/</link>
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		<title>EFF and Public Knowledge File Lawsuit Against USTR demanding Information about the Secret IP Enforcement Treaty (ACTA)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[U.S. Trade Office Withholds Documents on Secret IP Enforcement Treaty - Public Kept in the Dark About Serious Civil Liberties and Privacy Issues -- "ACTA raises serious concerns for citizens' civil liberties and privacy rights," said EFF International Policy Director Gwen Hinze.  "This treaty could potentially change the way your computer is searched at the border or spark new invasive monitoring from your ISP.  People need to see the full text of ACTA now, so that they can evaluate its impact on their lives and express that opinion to their political leaders. Instead, the USTR is keeping us in the dark while
talks go on behind closed doors..."
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/18/eff-and-public-knowledge-filed-lawsuit-against-ustr-demanding-information-about-the-secret-ip-enforcement-treaty-acta/</link>
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		<title>Google Comments to USTR on Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/17/google-comments-to-ustr-on-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-acta/</link>
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		<title>US Says China To Sign Bilateral Cooperation Deals On IP Enforcement (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[High-level officials from China and the United States on Tuesday reiterated their joint commitment to “strategic cooperation” on copyright and trademark protection and enforcement, and agreed to hold further meetings of a joint intellectual property working group in the near future.  The 19th United States - China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) met on 16 September in Yorba Linda, California. Present at the meeting were Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, according to a USTR release....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/17/us-says-china-to-sign-bilateral-cooperation-deals-on-ip-enforcement-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>In Geneva: The Debate About Debate (IGP)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["Tuesday the Internet Governance Forum held its consultations about the 3rd Forum at Hyderabad, India. I am sorry to report that there are still intense pressures to sanitize the IGF program and to prevent the Forum from grappling with the real global governance problems. In what was clearly an orchestrated move, key people from multinational business groups, the Internet Society and a few Anglo-American governments tried to change a plan to organize plenary sessions around policy debates. These groups insist on viewing debate of controversial Internet policy topics, and systematic consideration of specific policy proposals, as a threat that needs to be contained rather than an opportunity to make their own case. In the private negotiations over merging workshop proposals into main sessions, there were concerted efforts – also led by Internet Society staff – to limit the morning main sessions to “background information,” “educational material” and “best practice” discussions...."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/17/in-geneva-the-debate-about-debate-igp/</link>
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		<title>UN Agency to Curb Anonymous Internet Communications</title>
		<description><![CDATA[An alarming report shows that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations agency that coordinates global telephony policy, is quietly working to make anonymous Internet use impossible.  The ITU's "IP Traceback" proposal would enable governments (and some big companies) to spy on every individual's Internet use via embedding specific technical standards in Internet communications protocols.  The surveillance proposal was originally sponsored by the Chinese government, but now the US National Security Agency (NSA) is one of it's biggest proponents.   Companies such as Cisco Systems and VeriSign are also working closely with the ITU, NSA, and Chinese government to install this global spy network, called the "Q6/17 Drafting Group".  Anonymous communication is a well-recognized  and protected legal right in international treaties (such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights) and many national constitutions (such as the US), so it is deeply concerning that these governments are undermining the rights of their citizenry to communicate via the Internet....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/16/un-agency-to-curb-anonymous-internet-communications/</link>
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		<title>Secret Counterfeiting Treaty Public Must be Made Public, Global Organizations Say</title>
		<description><![CDATA[More than 100 public interest organizations from around the world today called on officials from the countries negotiating Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) to publish immediately the draft text of the agreement.  Secrecy around the treaty negotiation has fueled concerns that its terms  will undermine vital consumer interests.  Organizations signing the letter include: IP Justice, Consumers Union, Essential Action, Knowledge Ecology International, Doctors without Borders’ Campaign for Essential Medicines, Australian Digital Alliance, The Canadian Library Association, Consumers Union of Japan, U.S. Public Interest Research Group ...
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/15/secret-counterfeiting-treaty-public-must-be-made-public-global-organizations-say/</link>
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		<title>Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement: Fact or Fiction? (Wired)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["There's been speculation for months concerning the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. If ratified, many suggest it would criminalize peer-to-peer file sharing, subject iPods to border searches and allow internet service providers to monitor their customers' communications.  Dozens of special-interests groups on Monday urged the trade representatives from those nations to disclose the language of the evolving agreement in a bid to end speculation on its contents and to assist in crafting its language.  "Because the text of the treaty and relevant discussion documents remain secret, the public has no way of assessing whether and to what extent these and related concerns are merited," the groups said in a letter to trade representatives from the participating nations...."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/15/anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-fact-or-fiction-wired/</link>
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		<title>Proposed Copyright Law a &#8216;Gift&#8217; to Hollywood, Info Groups Say (Wired)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["If the Senate version becomes law, it is not immediately clear how the Justice Department's expanded powers would work in practice. For example, would the department assume the role of the Recording Industry Association of America, which has sued more than 30,000 people in the United States for copyright infringement since 2003?..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/10/proposed-copyright-law-a-gift-to-hollywood-info-groups-say-wired/</link>
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		<title>Public-Interest NGO&#8217;s Express Concerns with Proposed Senate Bill on Intellectual Property Enforcement</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Twelve Public Interest Organizations Send US Senate Judiciary Joint Letter on Concerns Regarding S.3325, the "Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act of 2008":

"The undersigned groups write to express our concerns with S. 3325, the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act of 2008, soon to be marked up in the Committee on the Judiciary. While enforcing IP rights is necessary to ensuring the progress of science and the useful arts, an unbalanced approach to enforcement would lead to unintended harms and impede that progress. Several of the provisions contained within S. 3325 threaten such an imbalance...."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/10/public-interest-ngos-express-concerns-with-proposed-senate-bill-on-intellectual-property-enforcement/</link>
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		<title>Access to Knowledge Conference Begins Addressing New Challenges with New Ideas (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A key conference on access to knowledge opened Monday, with veterans of the A2K movement mixed with many new faces and all participants hoping to find new ideas over the next few days, as they seek to clarify the best paths forward.  “The great insight of this movement,” said Yale Law School Information Society Project Director Jack Balkin during the welcome address, “was bringing together a wide range of people who didn’t even imagine that they were working on similar goals, dispersed as they were in their focus on health, science, movies, music, culture, telecommunications policy, innovation, fair competition, freedom of the press and transparency in governance.”  The access to knowledge (A2K) movement, which emerged in the early 2000s, “helped us to see we were all after the same things,” said Balkin, but “precisely because of this success, [the movement] is at a crossroads.”...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/09/09/access-to-knowledge-conference-begins-addressing-new-challenges-with-new-ideas-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>Sen. Joseph Biden&#8217;s Anti-Free Speech, Anti-Privacy, and Anti-Internet Platform</title>
		<description><![CDATA["US Senator Joseph Biden, Barack Obama's choice for Vice-Presidential candidate has a long track record in the US Senate of chipping away at Americans' privacy rights and freedom of expression rights - especially when it comes to the Internet and technology.  Biden has done the bidding of Hollywood in the Senate for decades - he's fought P2P file networks, been a staunch supporter of the controversial DMCA, and sponsored RIAA bills to restrict a consumer's right to record songs over satellite radio.  Biden sponsored FBI wire-tapping bills, voted for war in Iraq, voted for the (Anti) "Patriot" Act, and has a long history of working to keep strong encryption out of the hands of Americans.  Biden helped the FBI and the NSA to restrict Americans' access to encryption without backdoors for the US Government..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/08/24/sen-joseph-bidens-anti-free-speech-anti-privacy-and-anti-internet/</link>
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		<title>Statement on Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) to USTR from US Tech Trade Associations and Companies</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Letter from AT&#038;T, Amazon.com, Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), Consumer Electronics Association, eBay, Information Technology Association of America, Internet Commerce Coalition, NetCoalition, US Internet Service Provider Association, US Telecom Ass., Verizon Communications, Yahoo! Inc.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/08/07/statement-on-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-acta-to-ustr-from-us-tech-trade-associations-and-companies/</link>
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		<title>LEAKED: &#8220;Business Perspectives on Border Measures and Civil Enforcement&#8221;</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Leaked Industry-Lobbyist Memo to ACTA Negotiators From "Concerned Business Groups in ACTA Nations" at 2nd Round of Secret Trade Negotiations in Washington, DC from 29-31 July 2008]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/29/leaked-business-perspectives-on-border-measures-and-civil-enforcement/</link>
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		<title>Public Left Out of Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Talks (Toronto Star)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["According to documents obtained under the Access to Information Act and reported here for the first time, the [Canadian] government has been crafting an Intellectual Property and Trade Advisory Group. The initial plans for membership in the group were limited exclusively to 12 government departments and 14 industry lobby groups. These include the Canadian Recording Industry Association, the Canadian Motion Picture and Distributors Association, and the Entertainment Software Association of Canada.  The early membership lists omit several key industry representatives likely to be affected by ACTA, including telecommunications, technology, and Internet companies. Moreover, there is absolutely no representation of the public interest — no privacy representation despite the obvious privacy implications of the treaty (the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada was not included on the government invitee list), no consumer representation despite the effects on consumer interests, and no civil liberties representation on a treaty that could fundamentally alter Canadian civil rights...."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/28/public-left-out-of-anti-counterfeiting-trade-talks-toronto-star/</link>
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		<title>Letter to USTR on ACTA from Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), Library Copyright Alliance, NetCoalition</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Tech Industry Statement on 29-31 July 2008 ACTA Negotiations in DC: "We strongly oppose any requirement in ACTA that signatories enact statutory damages... Copyright statutory damages are one feature of our IP law that we should not seek to export.... Finally we wish to express our disappointment that we learned of the agenda for next week's negotiations from the DFAT [Australian Govt] website rather than our own government...."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/23/letter-to-ustr-on-acta-from-computer-and-communications-industry-association-ccia-library-copyright-alliance-netcoalition/</link>
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		<title>IP Rights In Standards Impede Competition, Disadvantage Developing Countries (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["Standards and intellectual property rights appear to be worlds apart and to respond to opposite purposes, according to a recent panel of legal and policy experts. While standards are established to ensure compatibility in technology to the advantage of all users at national, regional or international levels, intellectual property rights are meant to provide an exclusive use, reward innovation, and are territorial in nature, according to speakers. ..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/17/ip-rights-in-standards-impede-competition-disadvantage-developing-countries-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>WIPO Development Agenda committee deliberations on norm-setting, open source and creative commons (KEI)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["The WIPO Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) had rich discussions on Thursday afternoon (July 10, 2008) on norm-setting, open source and creative commons as they related to recommendations 22 and 23 of the Development Agenda.  Recommendation 22 states:  WIPO’s norm-setting activities should be supportive of the development goals agreed within the UN system, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration. ..."

]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/14/wipo-development-agenda-committee-deliberations-on-norm-setting-open-source-and-creative-commons-kei/</link>
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		<title>WIPO Enriched by In-Depth Discussion of Public Domain (KEI)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["With respect to the public domain, Richard Owens (WIPO Secretariat) noted that there is a fundamental question of definition that frames the policy debate on this issue. The classical definition of the public domain (in the copyright context) is “what is not protected by copyright, i.e. rights that have expired, works that have not been deemed worthy of protection, and exceptions to copyright including official laws and statutes.” Owens contrasted the classical definition with a more vernacular approach to the public domain not rooted in traditional copyright discourse but rather predication upon the notion of “access to content, irrespective of whether content is copyrighted”. Owens mentioned collaborative works and the progress in information and communications (ICT) technology as part of this vernacular discourse on the public domain. He raised two potential studies WIPO could embark upon with respect to the public domain. The first would be a comparative analysis of countries’ legislation asking the question, “how do Member states define the public domain”. The second potential study would examine the how living creators use existing copyright structures to put their works into the public domain. ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/14/wipo-enriched-by-in-depth-discussion-of-public-domain-kei/</link>
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		<title>WIPO Development Committee Ends First Year On Mostly Agreeable Note (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["While the 7 to 11 July meeting of the Committee on Development and IP (CDIP) did not make any profound changes in the operations of WIPO yet, discussions revealed some of the areas where change may be coming. And while there were moments of tension, the overall spirit of the meeting appeared more agreeable than meetings of the past years. ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/12/wipo-development-committee-ends-first-year-on-mostly-agreeable-note-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>The fight Against Counterfeiting and Piracy in the Bilateral Trade Agreements of the EU (EU Parliament Briefing Paper)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[By Duncan Matthews (Queens Mary University of London)]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/10/the-fight-against-counterfeiting-and-piracy-in-the-bilateral-trade-agreements-of-the-eu-eu-parliament-briefing-paper/</link>
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		<title>EFF Statement at WIPO Development Agenda Meeting in Geneva</title>
		<description><![CDATA["We support the call for WIPO to initiate discussions on how to facilitate access to knowledge and technology for developing countries and LDCs to foster creativity and innovation, and to facilitate IP-related aspects of ICT for growth and economic, social
and cultural development.   It is essential that national and international copyright and patent laws provide an environment that is conducive both to technology innovation and human development. Copyright exceptions and limitations are essential for access to knowledge by students, universities and libraries. They are also needed to create innovative new information and communication technologies that promote open
knowledge sharing such as robust content hosting platforms like YouTube, Internet search engines, collaborative tools such as wikis used to create the Wikipedia global encyclopedia, and mobile content delivery technologies. These technologies offer new opportunities for
development and distance education. Creating the environment for innovation requires exceptions and limitations to copyright rights, a thorough understanding of the impact of overbroad technological protection measure regimes on technology innovation, and tailored ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/09/eff-statement-at-wipo-development-agenda-meeting-in-geneva/</link>
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		<title>G8 Declaration on the World Economy</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Read Text of GB Declaration on a World Economy and G8's Pledge to Increase Intellectual Property Rights and International Enforcement and to Deputize Customs Agents to Search and Seize Laptops, iPods, and PDA's of Unsuspected Citizens in Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/09/g8-declaration-on-the-world-economy/</link>
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		<title>ACTA Turning ISPs Into Enforcers (LA Times)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ACTA, which aims to establish a multinational standard for anti-piracy enforcement, has generated a fair amount of concern in the blogosphere because a) it's being negotiated in secret, as are all trade pacts, and b) some media outlets have suggested that it could lead to people's laptops and iPods being searched at the border. ...What that means is, border agents wouldn't have to wait for a complaint from Warner Bros. Studios to be on the lookout for a few hundred bootlegged DVDs of "The Dark Knight." U.S. border agents already search laptops at random and without warrants, yet it's hard to picture them spending the time and energy to catch people smuggling camcorded films on their iPods.  Much more problematic is the RIAA's wish list for online enforcement. The suggestions would seem to shift the legal ground in favor of copyright holders on issues that remain in dispute in U.S. courts, and possibly on a few that have been settled here or in other countries. ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/09/acta-turning-isps-into-enforcers-la-times/</link>
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		<title>G8 Governments Want ACTA Finalised This Year, SPLT Talks Accelerated (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Despite issues like the current food, energy and climate crises having taken centre stage at this week’s Group of 8 summit in Japan, governments did not lose sight of earlier plans to promote and more strictly protect intellectual property rights. ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/09/g8-governments-want-acta-finalised-this-year-splt-talks-accelerated-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>Vol. 1 Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) Public Comments (USTR)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/08/vol-1-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-acta-public-comments-ustr/</link>
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		<title>Vol. 2 Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) Public Comments (USTR)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/08/vol-2-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-acta-public-comments-ustr/</link>
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		<title>Vol. 3 Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) Public Comments (USTR)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/08/vol-3-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-acta-public-comments-ustr/</link>
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		<title>Development Agenda discussions focus on costing of consultants and Business Analysts (KEI)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The second session of the the WIPO Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) is meeting this week in Geneva (July 7-11, 2008). The first meeting of this development committee (March 2008) examined Cluster A (Technical Assistance and Capacity Building) of the 45 approved Development Agenda recommendations. ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/08/development-agenda-discussions-focus-on-costing-of-consultants-and-business-analysts-kei/</link>
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		<title>Vol. 4 Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) Public Comments (USTR)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/08/vol-4-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-acta-public-comments-ustr/</link>
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		<title>Intellectual Property Regime Stifles Science and Innovation, Nobel Laureates Say (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The basic framework of the intellectual property (IP) regime aims to “close down access to knowledge” rather than allowing its dissemination, Professor Joseph Stiglitz said at a 5 July lecture on “Who Owns Science?” Stiglitz, a 2001 Nobel Laureate in Economics, and Professor John Sulston, a 2002 Nobel Laureate in Physiology/Medicine, launched Manchester University’s new Institute for Science, Ethics and Innovation. Both were highly critical of today’s patent system, saying it stifles science and innovation....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/07/intellectual-property-regime-stifles-science-and-innovation-nobel-laureates-say-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>Public&#8217; online spaces don&#8217;t carry speech, rights (Associated Press)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[First Amendment protections generally do not extend to private property in the physical world, allowing a shopping mall to legally kick out a customer wearing a T-shirt with a picture of a smoking child.  With online services becoming greater conduits than shopping malls for public communications, however, some advocacy groups believe the federal government needs to guarantee open access to speech. That, of course, could also invite meddling by the government, the way broadcasters now face indecency and other restrictions that are criticized as vague.  Others believe companies shouldn't police content at all, and if they do, they should at least make clearer the rules and the mechanisms for appeal.....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/06/public-online-spaces-dont-carry-speech-rights-associated-press/</link>
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		<title>ICAAN – Preventing Hatred v. Censorship of TLD Applications (Digital Journal)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[With all the excitement over expansion of IP addresses to be expanded from 4-string to 6-string format, little has been reported on the current and proposed regulations to restrict new domain registration. Watchdogs are deeply concerned over censorship. ....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/06/icaan-%e2%80%93-preventing-hatred-v-censorship-of-tld-applications-digital-journal/</link>
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		<title>ICANN Go-Ahead on GTLDs with &#8220;String Criteria&#8221; of &#8220;Morality and Public Order&#8221;</title>
		<description><![CDATA["There has been wide coverage of ICANN’s decision this week to adopt a new process for creating new global Top Level Domains (gTLDs).... Civil libertarians supporting Susan Crawford’s line argue that if governments are able to pressure ICANN into prohibiting .jihad (which has perfectly non-violent meanings in Islam as well as the terrorist connotations it has recently acquired in the West), then can a prohibition on .falun-gong be far behind? ..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/01/icann-go-ahead-on-gtlds-with-string-criteria-of-morality-and-public-order/</link>
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		<title>Work Remains For ICANN’s New Top Level Internet Domains (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Internet Technical Body an Authority on Morality?  ICANN announced the "biggest extension of the DNS [domain name system] in 40 years" after its decision last week to finish implementation of a new policy for introducing new top-level domains (TLDs). According to the timeline presented at the ICANN meeting in Paris, new TLDs to compete against the existing .com, .biz or .museum TLDs will be open for application in the second quarter of 2009. ... But the most discussed and criticised reason for an objection clearly is “morality and public order.” This objection criterion would allow any government to veto strings (domains), ICANN director and US law professor Susan Crawford warned before the vote on the new TLD policy. This could undermine ICANN’s mission to act as a private self-regulatory body, she said, by giving such influence to governments.  “It’s allowing governments to censor,” Crawford said, adding that the idea of having a private internet governance model was also “to avoid having the domain name system used as a choke-point for content.” Together with her colleague Wendy Seltzer, who acts as liaison of the ICANN At-Large User Community to the board, Crawford asked for clear-cut and narrow rules for the morality objection....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/07/01/work-remains-for-icann%e2%80%99s-new-top-level-internet-domains-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title></title>
		<description><![CDATA[The issue of IPRs in technical standards is increasingly seen to be contentious since they at times lead to anticompetitive situations affecting markets and international trade. While standards are adopted internationally and nationally by different standard setting organisations, they are implemented cross border. This has provoked a great deal of serious thought and syllogism over anticompetitive effects created due to a variety of factors associated with processes and framework of norms that govern the issues of IPRs in standardisation. The SIP seminar aims to focus on such issues and to find remedial solutions for addressing the international competition dimension of IPR Issues in Standardization.    ]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/30/1018/</link>
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		<title>Member Nations Balk At World Customs Organization IP Enforcement Push IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Concerns ran high in some developing countries last week that their voices have been largely absent from a draft set of standards for heightened intellectual property enforcement advancing rapidly at the World Customs Organization. With the draft standards sent early - and, some say, without mandate - to decision-making bodies at the WCO, the organisation looks poised to become the next major platform for debate on global enforcement of intellectual property, as members discuss the possibility of incorporating IP protection into customs law.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/27/member-nations-balk-at-world-customs-organization-ip-enforcement-push-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>ICANN Board Approves Censorship Policy for Domain Names Based on Morality: 2 Board Members Speak Against It</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Today in Paris the ICANN Board passed the GNSO's controversial recommendations to censor top level domains based on notions of "morality and public order", and broadly defined "community" wishes.  However, 2 ICANN board members, law professors Wendy Seltzer (on behalf of the At-Large Internet Users) and Susan Crawford, made very powerful and compelling statements to protect free expression on the top level of the Internet.   Hopefully Professor Crawford is right and this harm can be mitigated through narrowly tailored implementation.
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/26/icann-board-approves-censorship-policy-for-domain-names-based-on-morality-2-board-members-speak-against-it/</link>
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		<title>Seizing Laptops and Cameras Without Cause - A controversial customs practice creates a legal backlash (US News &#038; World Report)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Returning from a vacation to Germany in February, freelance journalist Bill Hogan was selected for additional screening by customs officials at Dulles International Airport outside Washington.  Agents searched his luggage, he said, "then they told me that they were impounding my laptop."  Congressional investigators say that copies of drives are sometimes made, meaning customs could be duplicating corporate secrets, legal and financial data, personal E-mails and photographs, along with stored passwords for accounts with companies ranging from Netflix to Bank of America. ....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/24/seizing-laptops-and-cameras-without-cause-a-controversial-customs-practice-creates-a-legal-backlash-us-news-world-report/</link>
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		<title>2008 USTR Special 301 Report Summary from IP Justice</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/21/2008-ustr-special-301-report-summary-from-ip-justice/</link>
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		<title>Civil Society &#038; Organized Labour Seoul Declaration (OECD Ministerial in Korea)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Framework for the Future of the Internet Economy.  Freedom of Expression.  Protection of Privacy and Transparency.  Consumer Protection.  Promotion of Access to Knowledge.  Internet Governance. Promotion of Open Standards.  Balanced Intellectual Property Policies.  Internet Governance. ...]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/16/civil-society-organized-labour-seoul-declaration-oecd-ministerial-in-korea/</link>
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		<title>New Zealand to be &#8220;Consulted&#8221; on Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (Industry Standard)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The New Zealand public will be consulted on the controversial international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), details of which were leaked on the whistleblower website wikileaks.org. ... Culture and Heritage Minister Judith Tizard has requested submissions on the still tentative ACTA proposal with a deadline of July 14. At that time, international government agencies will only be at their second meeting on the topic, with several different aspects still to be discussed.  This has led to the suspicion that the consultation will be merely, in the words of one local commentator, "a rubber stamp."  The leaked document is a preliminary draft prepared by U.S. and Japanese representatives and there is no definitive text for the proposed agreement yet, Wardle says...."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/16/new-zealand-to-be-consulted-on-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-industry-standard/</link>
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		<title>Digital Copyright: it&#8217;s all wrong.  Draft ACTA Treaty Proposes Draconian Measures (Sydney Morning Herald)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["The ACTA draft is a scary document. If a treaty based on its provisions were adopted, it would enable any border guard, in any treaty country, to check any electronic device for any content that they suspect infringes copyright laws. They need no proof, only suspicion.  They would be able to seize any device - laptop, iPod, DVD recorder, mobile phone, etc - and confiscate it or destroy anything on it, merely on suspicion. On the spot, no lawyers, no right of appeal, no nothing.  The draft contains other draconian measures. ..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/09/digital-copyright-its-all-wrong-draft-acta-treaty-proposes-draconian-measures-sydney-morning-herald/</link>
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		<title>Der Zoll hört mit (dradio.de)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[EU-Kommission debattiert vertraulich über Anti-Piraterie-Abkommen.  Vertreter aus 13 Nationen haben in Genf am Montag und Dienstag dieser Woche über ein internationales Abkommen zur Abwehr von Urheberrechtsverletzungen diskutiert.  Nichtregierungsorganisationen warnen, dass unter Ausschluss kritischer Vertreter der Entwicklungsländer Fakten geschaffen werden sollen. Im Bereich von Computer und Medien würden vor allem die Interessen der großen Medienkonzerne und nicht die der Nutzer berücksichtigt....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/06/der-zoll-hort-mit-dradiode/</link>
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		<title>Speculation Persists On ACTA As First Official Meeting Concludes (IP-Watch)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
European Parliament Study Draws Some Critical Conclusions on ACTA... Dordi agrees with NGOs like Knowledge Ecology International and IP Justice with regard to a certain “vagueness” in definitions and forum shopping. It was unclear from the use of the terms ‘counterfeit’ and ‘piracy’ what the new treaty would actually cover, he wrote.]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/05/speculation-persists-on-acta-as-first-official-meeting-concludes-ip-watch/</link>
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		<title>USTR Press Release on ACTA Negotiations</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Sean Spicer of USTR on ACTA: "The main focus of the discussion was border measures, particularly how to deal with large-scale intellectual property infringements, which can frequently involve criminal elements and pose a threat to public health and safety. ..."]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/05/ustr-press-release-on-acta-negotiations/</link>
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		<title>IGF 2008 Hyderabad: Programme, Agenda and Format of Hyderabad Meeting</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/05/igf-2008-hyderabad-programme-agenda-and-format-of-hyderabad-meeting/</link>
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		<title>ACTA and the Threat to Credible Global Governance (Aaron Shaw)</title>
		<description><![CDATA["I’ve recently heard through a grapevine that ACTA negotiants have reportedly signed non-disclosure agreements as a condition of their participation in this week’s secret closed-door meeting in Geneva.  This is an amazing and frightening step backwards in the history of global governance. It also epitomizes the ACTA negotiants’ dismissive attitude towards the importance of credible, transparent trade policy-making in the current global environment.  Anyone who would seek to radically transform the world’s trade in intangible assets without the participation of most of the world’s governments has learned little from the Asian Financial Crisis, the Iraq War, or the ongoing real estate and credit catastrophe....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/04/acta-and-the-threat-to-credible-global-governance-aaron-shaw/</link>
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		<title>William Patry: An ACTA Call to Arms: No More Secret Govt.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week I posted about the proposed Ant-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The issue is getting coverage in the blogosphere, but none in the mainstream press at least in the U.S., which is regrettable, since the issues raised are of great public interest.
Since my last blog, I have received information from Geneva and national capitals that requires updating the blog, and a call to arms to stop this monster dead in its tracks, to just say no to secret government. It will take a determined, global effort to do so. ACTA is the most extreme example yet of the devastating effect of making intellectual property a trade issue. GATT/TRIPS is the most visible example, but it is far from being the only one. A larger point about TRIPS, regardless of the specific provisions contained within it, is that it demonstrates the power shift away from those who traditionally
made copyright policy and to those who make trade policy. In the United States, that is the United States Trade Representative, who reports to the President.  The attitude of USTR toward copyright is a blinkered, one-sided view that copyright is good and therefore as much of it as possible is even better....]]></description>
		<link>http://ipjustice.org/wp/2008/06/03/william-patry-an-acta-call-to-arms-no-more-secret-govt/</link>
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