Multiple Voices on Canada’s Hearings on Science and Technology Policy
Canada has launched hearings for future policy on science and technology. Already, there are numerous voices on the matter including Michael Geist, CIPPIC, Tracey Lauriault, Russell McOrmand, the BCLA, and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters.
It seems that even officials were excited about the hearings.
“We are beginning today our study pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), [...]
New Zealand and Germany Reform Copyright Laws in 4 Days
Internet Service Providers and the copyright industry weren’t the only ones busy on the copyright front these days. New Zealand reformed their copyright laws which was followed up by Germany four days later.
There’s no doubting it’s been a busy week this week for those watching the copyright and file-sharing debates in all its incarnations. [...]
ZeroPaid Interviews Russell McOrmond – Part 3 of 3
In part 1 of this three part interview, ZeroPaid and Russell McOrmond discussed a number of issues including privacy, network neutrality and Michael Geist. In Part 2, topics such as copyright law, YouTube and open source. This final portion of the interview covers things such as DRM, politics, the CRIA and WIPO
Part 1 [...]
Canadian Copyright Bill Unlikely In This Government?
Russell McOrmond yesterday pointed to the fact that the Canadian Copyright Bill has been put on the notice paper, but there appears to be no sign of a copyright bill today. With the latest political shake-up in Canada, it could cause the Jim Prentice copyright reform bill to never see the light of day.
There [...]
European Commission Wants Consumer Friendly Market for Content
With a lot of attention being paid to the European Commission settling the Apple iTunes anti-trust case, it’s interesting to note what the European Commission has called for earlier this week with things like DRM and file-sharing.
In a press release, the European Commission said, “EU citizens should be able to enjoy easier and faster access [...]
Amazon’s new music download store will offer only DRM-free music
Every song and album in Amazon’s digital music store will be available exclusively in the DRM-free MP3 format.
Once again EMI leads the way in making its music library available to companies that actually have a decent plan to help it compete against piracy.
No doubt realizing that it must figure out a way [...]
Company targets Apple, Microsoft and others for not using enough DRM
What do Vista, Flash, RealPlayer, and iTunes have in common? According to Media Rights Technologies (MRT), all of them are infringing products under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and MRT has just sent cease-and-desist letters to Microsoft, Adobe, Real, and Apple.
“Together these four companies are responsible for 98 percent of the media players in the [...]
Will DRM-free music threaten iTunes?
Need proof that Apple’s iPod and iTunes Store has forever changed how people, particularly mobile people, acquire music? Here it is: The recording industry recently reported that nearly 13 percent fewer CDs were sold in 2006 than the previous year, while sales of downloaded digital songs increased by almost 60 percent.
The iPod/iTunes combination accounts for [...]
Apple tells content partners it can soon offer DRM-free music
According to the MacRumors site, iTunes’ content partners will soon have the option of offering DRM-free music and music videos.
Perhaps in another bid to assuage European anti-trust concerns, Apple sent out a brief memo to its content partners that starting next month they will be able to offer DRM-free music and music videos.
The memo [...]
