How Richard O’Dwyer’s love of films led to two-year struggle for liberty – The Guardian

Posted November 29th, 2012 in computer crime, copyright, extradition, human rights, internet, news by sally

“For Richard O’Dwyer, the extradition battle to decide his fate started with a knock on the door of his student room at dawn on a chill November morning in 2010 – and ended almost exactly two years later with a tweet, fresh from court.”

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The Guardian, 28th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Richard O’Dwyer strikes deal to avoid US extradition – BBC News

Posted November 28th, 2012 in copyright, deferred prosecution agreements, extradition, internet, news by sally

“A student facing trial and possible imprisonment in the United States has struck a deal to avoid extradition, the High Court has been told.”

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BBC News, 28th November 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

ISPs will first determine whether public Wi-Fi providers are subject to anti-piracy code, Ofcom says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 23rd, 2012 in copyright, internet, news by tracey

“Internet service providers (ISPs) will decide whether libraries, cafes and other public Wi-Fi network providers should be served with letters warning them that their service is being used to infringe copyright, Ofcom’s head of copyright has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 22nd November 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Fewer than a quarter of infringers would be put off by internet access suspension threat, Ofcom report says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 21st, 2012 in copyright, crime prevention, internet, news, penalties, statistics by sally

“Fewer than one in four UK internet users that engaged in copyright infringing activity during a three month period earlier this year said they would be put off from repeating the offence if they knew they would receive a letter to tell them that their internet access was to be suspended as a result of the behaviour, according to a new study commissioned by Ofcom.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 20th November 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Database supported by UK servers means High Court can rule over alleged claims of infringement, says judge – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 13th, 2012 in copyright, database right, EC law, jurisdiction, news by sally

“The High Court will determine whether a Dutch company, its managing director and two employees are liable for infringements of database rights and copyright as well as a breach of confidence after rejecting claims that the case should be heard in the Dutch courts.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th November 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

CLA announces new code of conduct to govern its collective licensing activities – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 5th, 2012 in codes of practice, copyright, licensing, news by sally

“The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) has established a new code of conduct that details the organisation’s obligations to its licence users.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 2nd November 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

EU laws on orphan works given final approval – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 5th, 2012 in copyright, EC law, libraries, news, universities by tracey

“EU ministers have voted to back new laws that will allow for libraries, museums and universities, among other organisations, to digitise works from their collections that have become ‘orphaned.’ ”

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OUT-LAW.com, 5th October 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Changing scope of anti-piracy code would need Parliamentary and EU approval, says Ofcom – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 4th, 2012 in copyright, legislation, news, parliament, telecommunications by sally

“Ofcom would have to consult on and gain Parliamentary and EU approval for any changes it wishes to make to the scope of its proposed new anti-piracy code once the initial code is finalised, it has said.”

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OUT-Law.com, 4th October 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Protecting creativity: new small claims track for IP cases – The Guardian

Posted October 2nd, 2012 in copyright, intellectual property, news, patents, small claims, trade marks by sally

“Until now taking legal action against others who copy creative work, brand names and logos or otherwise try to take advantage of someone else’s creativity has been beyond the reach of most people. That changes on Monday when the small claims track becomes available for intellectual property claims in England and Wales.”

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The Guardian, 2nd October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Copyright reforms needed now, but future ‘tweaking’ without consultation must be avoided, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 20th, 2012 in artistic works, consultations, copyright, EC law, news, parliament by sally

“The Government must reform UK copyright law in order to restore the public and business’s ‘respect’ in the ‘integrity’ of the framework, an expert has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 19th September 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

The Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property: Where next? – House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee

Posted September 19th, 2012 in copyright, intellectual property, news, reports by sally

The Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property: Where next? (PDF)

House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, September 2012

Source: www.parliament.uk

Media Protection Services Ltd v Crawford and another – WLR Daily

Posted August 24th, 2012 in company directors, copyright, informations, law reports, magistrates, solicitors by sally

Media Protection Services Ltd v Crawford and another [2012] EWHC 2373 (Admin); [2012] WLR (D) 250

“The laying of an information by a director of a private limited company, acting for reward on behalf of a client in the course of its business, constituted acting as a solicitor within the meaning and in breach of section 20 of the Solicitors Act 1974 and carrying on a reserved legal activity, namely the conduct of litigation, contrary to the Legal Services Act 2007, with the result that the proceedings were void.”

WLR Daily, 16th August 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Fact’s victory over Surfthechannel is a decisive blow in the copyright wars – The Guardian

“The link-sharing website’s demise at the hands of the content industry’s pitbull has set more than one precedent.”

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The Guardian, 19th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Surfthechannel owner sentenced to four years over piracy

Posted August 15th, 2012 in copyright, internet, news, sentencing by sally

“A 38-year-old Briton who made £35,000 a month through a website that linked to pirated copies of films and TV shows has been sentenced to four years in prison.”

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The Guardian, 14th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Disclosure of copyright-protected information under FOI not a breach of copyright law, says ICO – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 6th, 2012 in copyright, disclosure, freedom of information, news, ombudsmen by sally

“Public bodies that disclose copyright-protected information in order to comply with a request under freedom of information (FOI) laws are not guilty of copyright infringement, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 3rd August 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

New UK ‘Copyright Hub’ would help address problems with copyright licensing framework, report says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 31st, 2012 in copyright, licensing, news, reports by sally

“The UK should have a new ‘Copyright Hub’ to allow for rights holders to licence the use of their content through a simpler, more transparent and less costly system than currently exists, a report commissioned by the Government has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 31st July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

More than 2,000 O2 ‘porn pirates’ to be sent letters – BBC News

Posted July 26th, 2012 in copyright, internet, news, pornography by sally

“More than 2,000 O2 customers will receive letters accusing them of illegally downloading porn films.”

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BBC News, 24th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government may be in breach of EU copyright laws over volunteer-run libraries’ royalty payment commitments, authors’ body claims – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 25th, 2012 in copyright, EC law, intellectual property, libraries, news, publishing, volunteers by tracey

“The Government may have failed to abide by EU copyright laws if volunteer-run libraries are not required to pay authors royalties when they loan out books, the Society of Authors (SoA) has claimed.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 24th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Speedy copyright law change process is extended to regulations carrying 10 year jail term – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 20th, 2012 in copyright, news, parliament, penalties, regulations by tracey

“It will be possible to use a speeded up Parliamentary approval process for changing parts of copyright law that carry penalties of up to 10 years in jail under a proposed new law, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 19th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Copyright exception law could be changed without full Parliamentary scrutiny – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 12th, 2012 in bills, copyright, ministers' powers and duties, news, regulations by sally

“The Business Secretary will have the power to add or remove exceptions to copyright and add or remove exceptions to rights in performances through new laws that would not be subject to the full scrutiny of Parliament, under Government plans.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com