May 20, 2009

Another open door for software patents in EU

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Noch eine offene Tür für Softwarepatente in der EU | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1409] A new international treaty United Patent Litigation System (UPLS) that may create an centralised trusted patent court is the new open door for software patents in the European Union. The draft UPLS is inspired from the now […]

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May 5, 2010

German court decides Google's image search does not infringe copyright

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Google Image Suche verletzt laut BGH keine Urheberrechte | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1907] On 29 April 2010, the German Federal Supreme Court ruled that Google’s image search did not infringe copyright. The ruling comes in a case filed by an artist because, at the introduction of her name, Google’s search engine […]

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May 20, 2009

French courts give clear decisions for hosted content

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Französisches Gericht trifft klare Entscheidungen bei gehosteten Inhalten | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1403] Several decisions taken by the French courts lately recognize the principle of non-liablilty of some web 2.0 sites for the content hosted. The new interpretation is putting things back on track, after some earlier strange decisions of the […]

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May 5, 2010

List of actions for the implementation of Stockholm Programme

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Aktionsplan für die Umsetzung des Stockholm-Programms | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1908] The European Commission published on 20 April 2010 its plan of actions for the implementation of the Stockholm Programme, the framework for EU actions on citizenship, justice, security, asylum and immigration policies for the period 2010-2014, which includes 170 initiatives. […]

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May 20, 2009

UK creative industries want the disconnection of file sharers

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Britische Kreativindustrien fordern die Ausschaltung von Filesharern | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1404] An alliance of eight UK creative industries and five trade unions want the government to force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to disconnect persistent alleged illegal file sharers from the Internet and have issued a set of “urgent recommendations” they […]

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November 19, 2008

ENDitorial: An overheated debate on the rights of the visually impaired

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) The agenda of the 17th Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights, that took place between 3-7 November 2008 at the WIPO headquarters in Geneva, included the following topics: the limitations and exceptions, the protection of audiovisual performances and the protection of broadcasting organizations. In particular, the […]

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June 3, 2009

The French Government wants to spy on electronic communications

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Französische Regierung will elektronische Kommunikationen überwachen | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1413] Macedonian: [Француската влада сака да шпионира ел.. | http://www.metamorphosis.org.mk/edri/francuskata-vlada-saka-da-shpionira-elektronski-komunikacii.html] On 27 May 2009, the law on orientation and programming for the performance of the domestic security (Loppsi) was presented by Michèle Alliot-Marie to the French Council of Ministers. The law […]

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May 19, 2010

Two Digital Agendas, but one European Union

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Zwei Digitale Agenden, aber eine Europäische Union | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1928] The European Parliament (EP) passed on 6 May 2010, with a large majority, a resolution adopting the report on a new Digital Agenda for Europe: 2015.eu by MEP Pilar del Castillo Vera. The report outlines the Internet policy for […]

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June 3, 2009

Pressure of the record companies on The Pirate Bay

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Plattenfirmen setzen The Pirate Bay unter Druck | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1414] Macedonian: [Издавачките куќи вршат притисок врз Pirate Bay | http://www.metamorphosis.org.mk/edri/izdavachkite-kukji-vrshat-pritisok-vrz-pirate-bay.html] The Swedish court has denied the request of four major record companies to fine The Pirate Bay (TPB) for being still operational. At the middle of May 2009, Universal, […]

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May 19, 2010

Irish Court allows Data Retention Law to be challenged in ECJ

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Irisches Gericht lässt Vorratsdatenspeicherung vom EuGH prüfen | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1929] Recently, the Irish High Court ruled in favour of EDRi-member Digital Rights Ireland (DRI) allowing the civil liberties campaign group to challenge the EU Data Retention Directive at the European Court of Justice (ECJ). This is the result of […]

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June 3, 2009

Open source supporters criticize European govts for favouring MS

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Open Source-Verfechter kritisieren Europäische Regierungen für die Bevorzugung von MS | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1415] Macedonian: [Поборниците за слободен софтвер ги.. | http://www.metamorphosis.org.mk/edri/pobornicite-za-sloboden-softver-gi-kritikuvaat-evropskite-vladi-za-favoriziranje-na-majkrosoft.html] Recent governmental plans in several European countries to buy proprietary software for public administration or education have caused concerns over the methods used and the lack of public […]

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June 3, 2009

DRI against the Irish law on the interception of communications

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [DRI gegen das irische Gesetz zur Kommunikationsabhörung | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1416] Digital Rights Ireland has lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission against Ireland over the Irish law on the interception of communications. The Irish law, which is governed by the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) […]

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