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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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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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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May 19, 2010

New Belarus Internet regulations require compulsory web registration

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Neue weißrussische Internetverordnungen verlangen verpflichtende Webregistrierung | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1931] Based on a decree issued on 1 February 2010 by President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Belarus Council of Ministers adopted five resolutions introducing new Internet regulations which require a compulsory registration of all web sites and the collection of personal data of […]

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June 3, 2009

French Government hurries to put HADOPI law into application

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Französische Regierung drängt auf Umsetzung des HADOPI-Gesetzes | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1417] No sooner has the three strikes law been adopted that the French government issued CCAPs (special administrative specifications) and CCTPs (special technical specifications) which were sent by the Ministry of Culture to the candidate enterprises to put into function […]

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June 3, 2009

WIPO: Visually impaired treaty proposal

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [WIPO: Antrag auf ein Abkommen für Sehbehinderte | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1418] The WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) met from 25 to 29 May in Geneva. This time, the main points on the agenda were the survey on limitations and exceptions and the visually impaired treaty proposal […]

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May 19, 2010

German supreme court fines owner of open WiFi network

Article corrected on 22.05.2010 This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Deutscher Bundesgerichtshof: Geldstrafe für Besitzer von ungesicherten WLAN-Netzen | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1933] The Federal Supreme Court in Germany (Bundesgerichtshof (BGH)) has ruled in a case where an illegal download took place via an low-protected wireless Internet Access point, that the owner of the which should have […]

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June 3, 2009

EU will examine Google Books project

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [EU wird Googles Buchprojekt prüfen | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1419] Macedonian: [ЕУ ќе го преиспита проектот Google Books | http://metamorphosis.org.mk/edri/eu-kje-go-preispita-proektot-google-books.html] The German delegation submitted at the European Council meeting held in Brussels on 28 and 29 May 2009, an information note asking EU to take action against Google’s online library project, […]

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May 19, 2010

ECJ Advocate General: Limitations to the levy on private copies

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [EuGH: Generalanwältin will Beschränkungen bei Abgaben auf Privatkopien | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1934] Verica Trstenjak, Advocate General at the EU Court of Justice, believes the levy on private copies imposed on digital equipment, devices and media should be limited to cases “where it may be presumed that they are to be […]

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May 19, 2010 · Blogs

Facebook under pressure for not observing its privacy principles

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Facebook unter Druck: Datenschutzrichtlinien werden nicht eingehalten | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1935] Macedonian: [Фејсбук под притисок поради непочитување на сопствените принципи за приватност | http://www.metamorphosis.org.mk/edri/fejsbuk-pod-pritisok-poradi-nepochituvanje-na-sopstvenite-principi-za-privatnost-2.html] The recent changes of Facebook’s privacy settings have attracted a lot of negative comments from regular users, but also from Data Protection authorities and NGOs. In […]

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June 17, 2009

The French Constitutional Council censures the 3 strikes law

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Der Französische Verfassungsrat zensiert das 3 Treffer-Gesetz | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1429] As a result of the appeal of the Socialist Party, the French Constitutional Council decided on 10 June 2009 that 3 strikes (known also as Hadopi) draft law was infringing the Constitution and the Declaration of the Rights of […]

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