Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Google wanted service providers to give preference to their content, so that it would be transmitted to consumers faster. According to the WSJ: Google Inc. has approached major cable and phone companies that carry Internet traffic with a proposal to create a fast lane for its own […]
Professor Correa is the Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of Industrial Property Law and Economics, University of Buenos Aires and is a member of IP Osgoode's International Advisory Council The objective of the patent system is to promote innovation. There is growing evidence, however, about the strategic use of patents as a tool […]
On Thursday, December 11, as part of the IP Osgoode Speaks series, Jason J. Kee, the Director of Policy & Legal Affairs for the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) gave a talk on intellectual property issues in the computer and video gaming industry. The event, held downtown Toronto at Ogilvy Renault’s office, provided lawyers […]
Recently in Bangladesh, filmmaker, Ahsanullah Moni partially unveiled his copy of the Taj Mahal. He has reportedly spent close to 58 million (USD), importing granite and marble from Italy, and diamonds from Belgium. He even sent architects to India to copy and measure the dimensions of the original Taj. His reasons? He says Bangladeshis "could not […]
On December 4, the renowned guitarist Joe Satriani filed a copyright lawsuit against the British rock group Coldplay. Satriani argued that a substantial part of his original instrumental piece, ‘If I could Fly’, was reproduced in the band’s hit, ‘Viva La Vida’. Coldplay faced a similar allegation earlier this year. The young Brooklyn band, Creaky […]
The 2008 meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) was held in Hyderabad, India from December 3rd to 6th. This year’s central theme was ‘Internet for All’ and the meeting focused on three main discussion areas: reaching the next billion, promoting cyber security and trust, and managing critical internet resources. These were followed by sessions […]
The federal privacy gatekeepers identified a new market for identity thieves when they addressed the issue of online posting of decisions of federal administrative and quasi-judicial proceedings in the Annual Report of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) of Canada. This report on the Privacy Act was tabled by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, […]
On December 2, 2008, the European Court of Human Rights released a decision concerning the prevention of online child exploitation. The decision, K.U. v. Finland, 2 Dec 2008, App No. 2872/02, held that the Finnish government violated the right to private life of a 12-year old boy when it failed to update its telecommunications laws, […]
Criticism leveled at pharmaceutical companies for their competitive practices has taken on a new dimension with the preliminary report from an inquiry of the European Commission (EC). The report on the Pharmaceutical Sector Inquiry, released November 28, confirms the existence of business tactics that are restricting competition in the European pharmaceutical market. The inquiry […]
As we move forward into a world of greater complexity filled with rapidly developing inventions and innovations, product owners and manufacturers are modifying their supply-chain models to complement the changing global economy. This post will discuss how both the high-tech and intangible intellectual works sectors are re-thinking their distribution models and suggest how these changes […]