During the celebration of World Intellectual Property Day on April 24, 2013, the US Committee on the Judiciary announced its intention to promote a comprehensive review of US copyright law in order to modernize copyright protection in the US.
Turns out the internet isn’t all about porn. Just kidding, it mostly is. But underneath the debate sparked by the .XXX domain question at last week’s international website regulatory conference are a series of fundamental issues about internet freedom of expression, the process for determining what new URLs will be on offer, the tension between […]
After years of debate (almost 15, to be precise) and numerous revisions and cancellations (4, to be precise), Bill C-11 or An Act to Amend the Copyright Act, arguably the most controversial set of changes to the Canadian Copyright Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42), has just been passed by a vote of 158 to 135. […]
May 14, 2012 brings the latest attempt at copyright reform, Bill C-11 one step closer to fruition. Bill C-11 began with its Introduction and Initial Reading before the House in September of 2011, and is presently, as of May 14 2012, in its Report Stage. Otherwise known as Canada’s Copyright Modernization Act, Bill C-11 was […]
The current copyright statute in Ireland is the Copyright & Related Rights Act 2000. It was changed (a little) to bring Irish law into line with the EU Copyright Directive (2001), but not much has happened since. But following a promise in the coalition agreement after the 2011 general election, a Copyright Review Committee (chaired […]
The Copyright Modernization Act (Bill C-11) has generated much discussion on its merits and deficiencies. However, one issue that commentators have not discussed in depth is the relationship between laws and social norms. Specifically, whether any amendments to copyright law in Canada will have an effect on user behaviour given the social acceptability of copyright […]
Graham Reynolds is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and an IP Osgoode Research Affiliate. Recent legislative developments in Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) have raised concerns that expansions in copyright protection may negatively impact freedom of expression rights. In June 2010, the Canadian […]
Leslie Chong is a JD candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School. Members from various communities impacted by the current copyright reform had a chance to voice their praise and concerns with the proposed amendments in Bill C-32. During their opening statements at the Legislative Committee hearings held on March 8 and 10, 2011, speakers that […]
Robert Dewald is a JD Candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School The race for political office is competitive and fraught with risk where adversaries seek out support by advertising and creating political platforms to appeal to the majority of voters. As the cost of political campaigns mount, politicians on the campaign trail seek advantages whenever […]
Vincent Doré is a JD/MBA Candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School and Schulich School of Business. Bill C-32, Canada’s attempt at updating the Copyright Act, has received much attention in the digital space. The blogosphere is filled with commentary on all things copyright, and filtering out the noise is a challenge in itself. Predictably, much […]