January 27, 2010

New round of negotiations on ACTA: EU position

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Neue ACTA-Verhandlungsrunde: Die Haltung der EU | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1674] A new round of negotiations on ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) is taking place from 26 to 29 January 2010 in Guadalajara, Mexico. As announced by some countries participating in the event the main topics of the new negotiations are: civil […]

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February 24, 2010

Leaked ACTA text confirms suspicions

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Durchgesickerter ACTA-Text bestätigt Verdacht | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1720] The text of the digital chapter of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement was published on 21 February 2010, following news articles from IDG News Service issued a few days before. The text of the draft digital chapter confirms that there are several problems […]

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July 14, 2010

Belgium ISPs are not obliged to block The Pirate Bay

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Belgische ISPs müssen The Pirate Bay nicht sperren | http://www.unwatched.org/node/2063] Two Belgian ISPs have won their court battle against an anti-piracy group which had demanded that they block the access to The Pirate Bay. On 9 July 2010, the Antwerp Commercial Court rejected the blocking demands made by […]

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September 22, 2010

Swiss court rules that IP address collecting software is illegal

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Schweizer Gericht erklärt die Sammlung von IP Adressen für unzulässig | http://www.unwatched.org/node/2202] The Swiss Federal Court overturned on 8 September 2010 a previous court decision and ruled that the software identifying IP addresses of alleged unauthorised music uploaders was infringing the data protection law. Switzerland-based anti-piracy company Logistep […]

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October 6, 2010

Private data exposed on UK Law firm website

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Webseite einer britischen Anwaltskanzlei enthüllt private Daten | http://www.unwatched.org/node/2248] On 24 September 2010, the website of the UK Law Firm ACS:Law suffered a massive breach of security apparently under a Denial of Service attack initiated by a group entitled Anonymous within the Operation Payback, which led to the […]

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November 3, 2010

ECJ decides private copying levies are not allowed for business use

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [‘Abgabe für Privatkopien’ laut EuGH auf gewerbliche Nutzer nicht anwendbar | http://www.unwatched.org/node/2324] On 21 October 2010, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided that private copying levies on blank CDs, MP3 players and other digital media are allowed under EU copyright law only when charged on goods sold […]

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November 3, 2010

Free Culture 2010 in Barcelona

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [‘Free Culture’ 2010 in Barcelona | http://www.unwatched.org/node/2327] Barcelona was the capital of free culture at the end of October 2010, with two events – Oxcars and then the Free Culture Forum (FCF) – organized by Exgae for awarding and promoting free culture concepts across Europe and beyond. The […]

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May 18, 2011

Belgium Senate deletes the repressive part of the three strikes draft law

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Belgischer Senat streicht repressive Teile des 3-Strikes-Entwurfs | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.10_Belgischer_Senat_streicht_repressive_Teile_des_3-Strikes-Entwurfs] The Belgium version of the French Hadopi three strikes law was significantly changed by the Commission of Finance and Economical Affairs (COMFINECO) of the Belgium Senate during a hearing organised on 11 May 2011 on copyright and Internet. The […]

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November 2, 2011

Finnish ISP ordered to block The Pirate Bay

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Finnischer Provider soll “The Pirate Bay” sperren | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.21_Finnischer_Provider_soll_The_Pirate_Bay_sperren?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20111110] Hot on the heels of a Belgian court decision obligating two ISPs to block the Pirate Bay, the Helsinki District Court ruled on 26 October 2011 that the large Finnish ISP Elisa must block access to The Pirate Bay […]

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January 18, 2012 · Blogs

Dutch Internet providers forced to block The Pirate Bay

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Niederländische ISPs zur Sperre von The Pirate Bay gezwungen | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_10.1_Niederlaendische_ISPs_zur_Sperre_von_The_Pirate_Bay_gezwungen?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20120127] In its judgement of 11 January 2012, the Court of The Hague granted Dutch copyright enforcement organisation Brein’s request to order Dutch internet providers Ziggo and XS4ALL to block access to The Pirate Bay. This is the […]

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February 1, 2012

The Lobby on ACTA is reaching a new level

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Lobbyarbeit für ACTA erreicht neue Dimensionen | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_10.2_Lobbyarbeit_fuer_ACTA_erreicht_neue_Dimensionen] When the Commission calls for ACTA support, the chosen ones in industry happily follow. Going back a few months, in November 2011, at an International Fragrance Association event, Pedro Velasco Martins from the European Commission (DG Trade, Deputy Head of […]

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February 1, 2012

FAVA'S bill: Another attempt to limit civil rights in Italy

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Das FAVA Gesetz – ein neuer Versuch zur Beschneidung der Bürgerrechte in Italien | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_10.2_Das_FAVA_Gesetz_ein_neuer_Versuch_zur_Beschneidung_der_Buergerrechte_in_Italien] There is a wide (and mainly unjustified) hype, in Italy, about a draft law proposed by a Mr. Fava, an MP belonging to the right wing party “Northern League”. He asked the Italian […]

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