ACTA copyright negotiations demand scrutiny
InternetNZ (the Internet Society of New Zealand Inc) is concerned at the paucity of detail surrounding the proposed international Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).
ACTA seeks to impose a raft of enforcement measures which have the potential to further erode citizens’ fair-use rights in respect of digital copyrighted material. For instance, a global legal regime for Internet distribution of copyright protected works may be introduced.
To-date, negotiations have been held behind closed doors and publicly-available information is scant, with the exception of an ACTA discussion document leaked online. Read more
Akill discharged without conviction
Earlier this week, 18 year old New Zealander Owen Walker (aka Akill) was discharged without conviction on charges relating to his part in a cyber attack on the University of Pennsylvania’s computer system and participation in a global adware scheme.
Follow the links below to read some of the news stories relating to the case: Read more
Analysing the Diversity of New Zealand’s Information Law — LexisNexis 3rd Annual Presentation on Information Law, 21 May 2008
Presentations and Panel Discussions include:
Political Accountability and the Official Information Act: Hon. Bill English MP, Deputy Leader of the National Party
The Public Records Act, Digital Storage and Disposal of Information: Evelyn Wareham, Manager, Gov’t Recordkeeping Programme, Archives New Zealand Read more
Managing Identity in New Zealand Conference, April 29 and 30, 2008
This international conference focuses on identity management and includes presentations by the Hon. David Parker, Minister of State Services, N.Z. Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff, and former Australian Privacy Commissioner Malcolm Crompton.
Additional presenters include participants from Victoria University of Wellington, the State Services Commission, Sun Microsystems (USA), McGill University (Canada), Microsoft (USA), and more.
For programme and registration information please visit http://www.identityconference.victoria.ac.nz/
Patent Law Reform Conference Programme — Getting it Right to Support and Drive Innovation, May 29 and 30, 2008
The process of patent law reform involves many detailed public policy considerations.
The NZ Centre of International Economic Law is delighted to present this conference combining international expertise and local business knowledge to discuss patent law reform. Read more
UMG Lawsuit in U.S. Claims that Disposal of Promotional CD’s Constitutes Copyright Infringement
Representing the defendant, Troy Augusto (aka Roast Beast Music Collectibles), Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed a summary judgment brief in Federal District Court in Los Angeles yesterday arguing that the “First Sale Doctrine” (aka Exhaustion of Rights) applies. The hearing is set for May 5, 2008.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/04/umg-says-throwing-away-promo-cds-illegal
No stranger to New Zealand, EFF once made recommendations to New Zealand’s Ministry of Economic Development back in 1998 not to follow the U.S. lead in enacting Digital Millennium Copyright type legislation.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/04/umg-says-throwing-away-promo-cds-illegal
Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Bill Addresses Some New Technologies, But Not All
Format Shifting re Audio Files ok, but not Video.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10502960
Availability of Digital Music Comes at a Price
Record companies may be willing to drop DRM, but that doesn’t mean the music is free. Digital music service providers are having to pay millions in licensing costs and advances (or they could just part with a large stake in their companies).
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10502756&ref=rss
‘Money for Spam’ - NZ Herald Article
The following article by New Zealand Herald journalist Phil Taylor investigates events leading up to the Department of Internal Affairs’ December 2007 anti-spam raid in Christchurch.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10493997
Google squares off with EU in online privacy spat
Link to Reuters article below:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=55&objectid=10488104