The YouTube phenomenon has swept the Internet in a relatively short period of time, but with this popularity has also come an onslaught of copyright infringement litigation. The most significant of this litigation is the1 billion-dollar lawsuit initiated by Viacom in March 2007. Since then, a number of other major media companies and publishers have […]
In August 2007, an unnamed 16 year old from Aix-en-Provence, France, was arrested, detained, and subsequently released for posting his own unauthorised French translation of The Deathly Hallows (the seventh and last chapter in the lucrative Harry Potter series). The book was released at midnight on July 21, and the teen translated the 784 pages […]
Information is a very powerful thing. Indeed, in the mind of Canadian activist Cory Doctorow it would seem as though it is perhaps the most dangerous weapon of all. Speaking to the Associated Press, he compares the compilation of data by private companies such as Google to the acts of government entities who allegedly use […]
The lights dimmed. I settled into my seat. This was the world premiere of British film Boy A, screening one Sunday night at the Toronto International Film Festival. The standard TIFF advertisements for sponsors, etc. came and went. And then, a warning to would-be pirates: “Infrared and night-vision technology may be employed during this screening […]
As I understand it, the American Red Cross (“ARC”) licensed its mark to companies (to be used on emergency/safety kits) for a fee which went to fund its disaster-response efforts. Johnson & Johnson (“JnJ”) is suing the ARC and its licensees over its use of the mark which it claims it has had exclusive rights […]
Unfortunately, as is often the case, new technological developments frequently breed new controversies. The invention of the iPod, despite all its widespread popularity and success, is no exception. Currently at issue is the decision of The Copyright Board of Canada to allow an additional ‘tax’ to be placed on the sale of MP3 and iPod […]
There have been serious concerns expressed with respect to Google’s Street View and whether or not it violates Canadian privacy laws. Canada’s privacy commissioner Jennifer Stoddard states that the high resolution images available on Street View are clear enough to allow individuals to be identified and therefore considered personal information under PIPEDA. Of particular concern […]
An idealistic view is that the purpose of copyright is available to induce creators to share their creations with the public in order to foster the growth of learning and knowledge. In exchange for their creations, copyright law provides creators with the incentive of exclusive rights. Lydia Pallas Loren, however, argues in her article, “The […]
Last month, Prince announced he was planning an infringement suit against YouTube, an audio and video streaming site where users are allowed to post content for millions of people worldwide to view. His statement, urging artists “as creators and owners of their music,” to “reclaim their art,” echoes theories of moral rights, depicting the work […]
Professor Peter Yu holds the Kern Family Chair in Intellectual Property Law and is the founding director of the Intellectual Property Law Center at Drake University Law School. He writes extensively on international trade, international and comparative law and the transition of legal systems in China and Hong Kong, and is the author or editor […]