Legal and regulatory issues

Audiovisual

• EU - Audiovisual Policy - Contact Committee  +/-

  (Europa) With the 1997 revision of the "Television without Frontiers Directive" the Contact Committee was set up to monitor the implementation of the directive and developments in the sector and as a forum for the exchange of views. It deals not only with the existing audiovisual policy but also with the relevant developments arising in this sector. Chaired by the Commission and composed of representatives of the authorities of the Member States, it may be convened at the request of any of the delegations (Art. 23a TVWF Directive). see also Regulation of TV and information society services in the Member States.

Competition

• Bruxelles en passe de clore la procédure contre la redevance  +/- Translate

  (Figaro) Verdict imminent. Après des années de procédure, la Commission européenne va livrer son ultime décision sur le financement de l'audiovisuel public français. Les négociations entre la direction générale de la concurrence et les autorités françaises ont abouti à un accord. Il devrait permettre à Bruxelles de prendre une «décision positive» pour Francetélévisions dans les prochaines semaines. Le verdict mettra fin à une procédure ouverte en 1993, lors du dépôt de plainte de la chaîne privée française TF1.

• EU - Microsoft struggles to work with open source  +/-

  (ZDNet UK) Microsoft has responded to some of the concerns about its proposed server interoperability licence, but has not yet worked out how to stop disadvantaging open source vendors. Last month the European Commission rejected Microsoft's proposed server interoperability licence, saying it contained a number of serious flaws including unjustifiably high royalty fees and the exclusion of open source vendors. A Microsoft spokesman said that it sent the EC a letter which proposed a possible solution to three of the four areas of concern outlined by the Commission last month. The only area where Microsoft has not offered any concessions is in the area of open source software. The EC is concerned that open source vendors are excluded from the licence agreement, as companies are not permitted to release the source code of products created using the licence.

Computer crime

• US - Microsoft Hunts Child Pornography  +/-

  (Wired) Microsoft launched a software program designed to help police worldwide hunt down child porn traffickers by enabling authorities for the first time to link information such as credit card purchases, internet chat room messages and arrest records. The Child Exploitation Tracking System is the first software designed specifically to capture pornographers who prey on children over the internet. It will allow police departments worldwide to share and track previously unlinked information on investigations and suspects. The program was developed by Microsoft Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Toronto police, with the help of the Department of Homeland Security, Scotland Yard and Interpol. [Ed: The Wired report incorrectly calls the program "open source" - Microsoft will supply the program free to law enforcement authorities]

Content regulation

• CN - China cracks down on Web sites teaching methods of suicide  +/-

  (AP) China has ordered criminal punishments for people caught operating Web sites teaching suicide methods. Operators of sites offering instruction in how to commit suicide would be charged under Chinese criminal law.

Copyright, trademarks and patents

• CA - Piercing the peer-to-peer myths  +/-

  (First Monday) An examination of the Canadian experience, by Michael Geist. Canada is in the midst of a contentious copyright reform with advocates for stronger copyright protection maintaining that the Internet has led to widespread infringement that has harmed the economic interests of Canadian artist by Michael Geist. The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) claims that peer-to-peer file sharing has led to billions in lost sales in Canada. This article examines CRIA's claims by conducting an analysis of industry figures. It concludes that loss claims have been greatly exaggerated and challenges the contention that recent sales declines are primarily attributable to file-sharing activities. Moreover, the article assesses the financial impact of declining sales on Canadian artists, concluding that revenue collected through a private copying levy system already adequately compensates Canadian artists for the private copying that occurs on peer-to-peer networks.

• DE- Urteil in Sachen Musikindustrie gegen heise online  +/- Translate

  (Heise) In dem Rechtsstreit von acht Unternehmen der Musikindustrie gegen den Heise Zeitschriften Verlag liegt das schriftliche Urteil des Landgerichts München I vor. Anlass des Verfahrens war eine Meldung von heise online über die neue Version einer Software zum Kopieren von DVDs. Dieser Beitrag enthielt in der Originalversion neben einer kritischen Würdigung der Angaben des Softwareherstellers Slysoft auch einen Link auf die Website des Unternehmens. Nach Ansicht der Münchener Richter hat heise online durch das Setzen des Links auf die Eingangsseite der Unternehmenspräsenz vorsätzlich Beihilfe zu einer unerlaubten Handlung geleistet und hafte daher als Gehilfe gemäß § 830 BGB wie der Hersteller selbst.

• EU - Patent directive slammed at UKPO workshop  +/-

  (ZDNet UK) Lawyers and developers attending a UK Patent Office workshop were united in their condemnation of the definition of 'technical contribution' in the software patent directive.

• UK - Creative licence  +/-

  (Guardian) The word archive has an old, dusty feel about it; there seems nothing very dynamic, nothing much to stimulate young people or spark anyone's creativity. But in the world of UK television and film, the impact of archive material is about to take on a new dimension. The BBC, Channel 4, the British Film Institute (BFI) and the Open University have joined together to create the creative archive licence. The new licence grew out of the BBC's online archive project, first announced by the corporation's former director general Greg Dyke in 2003 as a visionary plan to make thousands of hours of BBC content available to the UK public on the internet for non-commercial use.

• US - High Court Hears Grokster File-Sharing Case  +/-

  (CDT) The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in MGM v. Grokster, arguably the most important copyright case before the Court in over two decades. The case, which seeks to hold peer-to-peer software developers liable for products widely used for illegal copying, is likely to have major implications for developers of new digital technologies and for free expression online. see also The Case of MGM v. Grokster (FindLaw) by Julie Hilden.

Data Protection (privacy)

• EU: Data Retention proposal partly illegal, say Council and Commission lawyers  +/-

  (Statewatch) The Legal Services of both the Council and Commission have argued that the controversial proposal for a Framework Decision on the retention of telephone and Internet data is partly illegal. The Legal Services examined whether part of the proposed Framework Decision falls within the scope of EC law (the 'first pillar', dealing with economic issues, among others) or within the scope of the 'third pillar' (Title VI of the TEU, dealing with criminal law and policing). Both Legal Services conclude that the obligations on service providers to retain and collect data on the use of phones and the Internet would be illegal, because this issue should instead be addressed by EC 'internal market' legislation on the regulation of telecommunications. see also Secret minutes EU data retention meeting (EDRI-gram).

• No delay for EU biometric passports  +/-

  (EDRI-gram) A new study Biometrics at the Frontiers: Assessing the impact on Society about the future of biometrics in the EU has been released. The study was ordered by the European Parliament Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and carried out by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (DG JRC) Institute for Prospective Technological Studies. The study predicts a giant boost in the use of biometrics in everyday life, once businesses follow-up on the mass acceptation of biometrics in passports. This 'diffusion effect' will cause a need for new legislation. Another main conclusion of the study is the need to recognise the limitations of biometrics 'and the difference that can exist between the perception and the reality of the sense of security provided.' But, as long as the purposes of biometric applications are clearly defined and there is some fall-back procedure in case of failure, the study sees a very bright future for an EU biometrics industry.

• UK - Government abandons ID card bill  +/-

  (silicon.com) The UK government has slammed opposition to the biometric ID card bill after admitting it will be forced to shelve the plans after running out of legislative time in the run up to next month's expected general election. But Home Secretary Charles Clarke has vowed to re-introduce the ID card bill after the election if Labour wins a third term and branded Conservative and Liberal Democrat opposition as 'crazy'.

Electronic commerce

• US and Antigua dispute WTO ruling on gambling  +/-

  (BBC) The United States and the tiny Caribbean state of Antigua and Barbuda are both claiming victory in a trade dispute over online gambling. It follows a ruling by the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) top court, which partially reversed an earlier decision that was greatly in Antigua's favour. Washington said the ruling accepted it could prevent Antiguan online gambling firms from operating in the US. Yet Antigua said its firms would still be able to enter the US market. Full text of report.

Human Rights

• International Vote for freedom of expression blog award-winners !  +/-

  (Reporters sans frontières) Reporters Without Borders is calling on Internet-users to vote online for award-winners from among 60 blogs defending freedom of expression. There are six categories : Africa and the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, Europe, Iran and International. Blogs have become significant sources of news for millions of Internet-users. In repressive countries they represent an alternative news source to state-controlled media. In regimes that show greater respect for freedom of expression, they can relay comments, articles and opinions that are not necessarily broadcast by the major media. These awards will be in tribute to webloggers who defend free expression and sometimes pay heavily for it. Two of them are, for example, still in prison in Iran. Voting closes on 1st June 2005 and the prize-winners will be announced two weeks later.

Information society and Internet policy

• EU - Call for rules on media concentration and pluralism  +/-

  (Euractiv) MEPs and media stakeholders are petitioning for new EU rules on media concentration. Lack of specific competence on the issue has so far prevented the EU from taking action.

• VA - Pope a champion of new technology  +/-

  (CNN) Pope John Paul II will be remembered as a great communicator not only for his language skills, but also for his use of modern technologies to reach his followers. John Paul is credited with bringing the Vatican into the Information Age. He used the Vatican's official Web site, launched in 1995, to publish his sermons and speeches. see Ethics in Internet and The Church and the Internet (Pontifical Council for Social Communications).

Internet access and use

• EU - Commission recommendation on high-speed internet access via the electricity grid  +/-

  (RAPID) Using electric power supply lines to offer low-cost high speed internet access will be made easier thanks to a Commission recommendation. The recommendation, which is addressed to the Member States, aims to clarify rules on using electric power cables to carry electronic communication data. The Commission thereby intends to boost competition by opening up the market to new suppliers of high-speed "broadband" connections via the electricity grid. Internet access via power lines has so far taken hold in only a few urban areas, but the potential is huge: the EU has 200 million power lines running directly into houses, schools and businesses.

Junk mail (spam)

• UK - Scottish car dealer gets spam warning from ASA  +/-

  (out-law.com) A car dealer who sent unsolicited marketing e-mail and offered an unsubscribe facility either by calling a premium-rate phone number or by clicking a link in the e-mail that did not work, has lost its case before the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

• US - Man gets nine years for spamming  +/-

  (BBC) A man has been sentenced to nine years in jail by a Virginia judge for sending millions of junk emails, or 'spamming'. Jeremy Jaynes, 30, is the first person in the US to get a prison term in a spam case. He is said to have been the world's eighth most prolific spammer. By selling sham products and services advertised in his messages, he earned up to $750,000 (£398,000) per month. Jaynes has appealed, and the court has put off the start of his prison term because the new law raises questions.

Liability, jurisdiction and applicable law

• BG - Bulgarian ISPs ordered to remove websites  +/-

  (EDRI-gram) The Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior has issued a radical order to Bulgaria's largest internet providers. Within 7 days the ISPs 'must remove all free hosting servers which offer works, audio records, entertaining or business software, images, pictures, books, graphical logos, etc.' and notify the department. Remarkably, the order isn't limited to copyright infringement, but bluntly seems to ban all content on free hosting servers. ISPs in Bulgaria are not forbidden to offer free hosting though, but can only provide free servers larger than 100 MB to identified customers. 'More than 100 MB of webspace should be given only to customers with a signed user contract, accompanied with a copy of their ID card or relevant valid document for identification.'

• FR- Vente d'objets nazis: Yahoo! relaxé  +/- Translate

  (Libération) La cour d'appel de Paris a confirmé la relaxe de l'Américain Timothy Koogle, 51 ans, ancien patron du portail américain, poursuivi par l'Amicale des déportés d'Auschwitz et des camps de Haute-Silésie, le Consistoire israélite de France et le Mrap pour «apologie de crime et pour port ou exhibition d'uniforme, d'insigne ou d'emblème d'une personne coupable de crime contre l'humanité». Les associations réclamaient 1 euro symbolique de dommages-intérêts. Le 11 février 2003, Koogle avait été relaxé par le tribunal correctionnel de Paris.

• Rapporteur EU parliament: more liability for ISPs  +/-

  (EDRI-gram) Rapporteur Marielle De Sarnez (French, Liberal) of the European Parliament Committee on Culture and Education has released her opinion on the proposal of the European Commission to create a new Recommendation on the Protection of Minors and Human Dignity. The report deals with two issues; more liability for ISPs and the introduction of a legal right to reply.

Protection of minors

• DE - Zwei Jahre neuer Jugendmedienschutz  +/- Translate

  (Heise) Die Kommission für Jugendmedienschutz (KJM) berät in Erfurt ihren Zweijahresbericht. Mit der Anerkennung der Freiwilligen Selbstkontrolle Multimedia (FSM) Ende vergangenen Jahres hofft KJM-Präsident Wolf-Dieter Ring stärker auf die "Prophylaxe" bei den Internetanbietern. Ob die Selbstkontrolleinrichtung die versprochene Wirkung entfalten werde, müsse sich nun zeigen. KJM-Präsident Ring hält die internationale Auseinandersetzung über den Jugendschutz für eine wichtige Aufgabe der KJM. Ziel müsse es sein, einen Jugendschutz-Grundstandard in Europa und darüber hinaus durchzusetzen, so wie das in Ansätzen bei der Verfolgung von Kinderpornographie passiert sei.

Rating and filtering

• BH - Internet Filtering in Bahrain in 2004-2005  +/-

  (ONI) The OpenNet Initiative's testing of more than 6,000 sites in Bahrain revealed only eight sites blocked. Three were pornographic; the others covered political and religious topics. In each case, sites with similar content remained accessible, and altering the requested URL slightly made several filtered sites available. Bahrain's legal system includes extensive potential controls of media, telecommunications, and the Internet, and its technical infrastructure has a single primary Internet Service Provider (ISP) and state-mandated Internet exchange point (IXP); this makes filtering relatively easy to implement. Our testing suggests that Bahrain's filtering efforts have eased recently, but the recent arrests of the editors of a Web site, and the blocking of the site, indicate that Bahrain continues to combine technical and legal controls for on-line content.

Safer Internet awareness

• DE - Medienkompetenz-Portal Klicksafe gestartet  +/- Translate

  (Heise) Rund 655.000 Euro investieren die beiden Landesmedienanstalten Rheinland-Pfalz (LMK) und Nordrhein-Westfalen (LFM) und als kleiner Partner das Europäische Zentrum für Medienkompetenz (ecmc) in das Projekt Klicksafe. Das Projekt wird im Rahmen des EU Safer Internet Action Plan noch einmal mit derselben Summe gefördert. Es ist das größte Einzelprojekt aus dem Förderbereich 'Awareness' aus dem Safer Internet Programm und Teil eines europaweiten Netzes solcher Medienkompetenzprogramme unter dem Titel INSAFE (Internet Safety Awareness for Europe).

• FR - Guide de sensibilisation pour les jeunes internautes  +/- Translate

  (FDI) Le guide Musique et film : Adopte la Net attitude a pour objectif de donner des conseils pratiques aux jeunes internautes, pour leur expliquer comment partager et télécharger des fichiers sans se tromper. Les ados sont nombreux à créer leur blog, mais aussi à télécharger, voire à partager des musiques et des films sur l'internet. Pour autant, ils ne sont pas toujours au fait de l'état du droit en la matière et n'ont pas forcément en tête les précautions à prendre. Le guide "Adopte la net attitude" vise donc à donner les règles à suivre pour respecter les droits de propriété littéraire et artistique, à expliquer comment fonctionne l´économie de la création et comment éviter d´attraper des logiciels espions. Le guide est volontairement neutre et équilibré dans les positions qu´il prend et raisonne à "droit constant". Il est diffusé à 450 000 exemplaires en version papier auprès des jeunes.

Self-regulation / codes of conduct

• Entertainment industry makes proposal for ISP self-regulation  +/-

  (EDRI-gram) The MPA (Motion Picture Association) and the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) are pushing for a new collaboration with internet service providers in Europe. The MPA has drafted a 'possible ISP-Film Sector Voluntary Code of Conduct', while the IFPI called for a similar code in relation to the music sector during a conference of European telecom network operators (ETNO). The industry demands that providers "remove references and links to sites or services that do not respect the copyrights of rights holders". Providers should also collectively adopt new terms and conditions, to 'require subscribers to consent in advance to the disclosure of their identity in response to a reasonable complaint of intellectual property infringement by an established right holder defence organisation or by right holder(s) whose intellectual property is being infringed,' thus overruling the essential privacy-protection of internet subscribers and without mentioning any right of reply. The debate will continue during an open WIPO seminar on ISP liability in Geneva on 18 April 2005.

Telecommunications

• UK - Select Committee endorses Ofcom's telecoms review  +/-

  (CommsWatch) The House of Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee has publishes its report on its inquiry into Ofcom?s Strategic Review of Telecommunications. During its inquiry, the Committee focussed on how Ofcom has addressed some of the issues the Committee raised last year in its Report on The UK Broadband Market.

Market & Technology

Internet access and use

• US - How to Blog Safely (About Work or Anything Else)  +/-

  (EFF) Blogs are like personal telephone calls crossed with newspapers. Here we offer a few simple precautions to help you maintain control of your personal privacy so that you can express yourself without facing unjust retaliation. If followed correctly, these protections can save you from embarrassment or just plain weirdness in front of your friends and coworkers. see also FAQ: Blogging on the job (CNET News.com) by Declan McCullagh and Alorie Gilbert.

Market

• FR - La France contre Google  +/-

  (Washington Post) France declared war on the United States three weeks ago. You didn't notice? Clearly, you're not French. This war is being fought against one of America's greatest exports. Not rock 'n roll. Not McDonald's or the Disney Co. This time it's Google that the French have in their crosshairs.

Statistics

• UK - BT hits 5M target - well ahead of time  +/-

  (CommsWatch) Three years ago, BT set itself some ambitious targets for broadband wholesale customers: Summer 2003 1 million, Summer 2004 2 million, Summer 2006 5 million. BT has announced that it has achieved its target of 5 million broadband customers - more than year ahead of the planned timetable.

• US - Net users learn to live with spam  +/-

  (BBC) Net users are as annoyed as ever about spam, but seem to be getting used to it, says a report. The poll of US net users by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that 52% of people complain that junk mail is a big problem. The research found that 28% of users are getting more spam than they did a year ago. Despite this, the numbers of people saying that the deluge of spam made them use e-mail less has shrunk.

Technology

• Mobile carriers seek cheaper anti-piracy software  +/-

  (Reuters) A powerful group of mobile telecoms operators called for lower prices for essential anti-piracy systems, warning that high royalty payments may stifle the markets for digital music and video. The mobile phone industry's Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) has developed an open standard for anti-piracy software, but the technology used by the standard is too expensive, said the GSM Association of mobile operators.

Forthcoming events

• 2005-04-28 EU, Brussels - Co-Regulation Measures in the Media Sector  +/-

  (HBI) Presentation of preliminary results (interim report) of the study on Co-Regulation Measures in the Media Sector of the Hans Bredow Institute for Media Research, Hamburg, Germany, and the Institute of European Media Law, Saarbrücken, Germany. Study commissioned by the European Commission, Directorate General Information Society and Media, Unit A1 (Tender DG EAC 03/04). The study aims at providing a complete picture of co-regulatory measures taken to date in the media sector in all 25 Member States and in three non-EU-countries, as well as of the research already done. The study will examine how best to ensure that the development of national co- and self-regulatory models does not disturb the functioning of the single market by re-fragmenting the markets. The meeting will be held on 28 April 2005 from 10 am to 5 pm in Albert Borschette Conference Center (CCAB), Room O A (basement), Rue Froissart 36, 1040 Brussels.

• 2005-04-18 CH, Geneva - WIPO Seminar on Copyright and Internet Intermediaries  +/-

  (WIPO) The WIPO Copyright and Related Rights Sector is organizing a Seminar on Copyright and Internet Intermediaries to help obtain a better understanding of these issues. The Seminar will be held in Geneva on April 18, 2005. The Seminar is designed to provide a forum for discussion among international experts and business leaders, academics, government delegates and policy makers. Key speakers, with audience participation, will address various ways to approach issues relating to copyright liability of those who act as online intermediaries: which may include Internet service providers (ISPs), providers of file-sharing services, auction sites and portals.

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