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Category Archives: Digital Rights

OECD Report on Digital Music

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Project on Digital Broadband Content published a new Report on Digital Music: Opportunities and challenges (132 pages, PDF): “…the outlook for the music market in 2005 is positive due to rapidly increasing sales of (mobile) digital music services. Digital music is also a driver for the global… Continue Reading

Ownership of “Information” In the Digital Environment

Information Cannot Be Owned by Jean Nicholas Druey, April 2004: “Apart from technology, the information age has up to now badly served its idol. It has failed sufficiently to recognize specific features of information. This is shown with respect to the question whether legal rights on information can take the form of ownership. The answer… Continue Reading

New Bill on Digital Rights Management

On September 16, Sen. Sam Brownback introduced the Consumers, Schools, and Libraries Digital Rights Management Act of 2003. From his press release: “This legislation responds directly to ongoing litigation between the Recording Industry Association of America and Internet service providers Verizon and SBC Communications. This litigation has opened wide all identifying information an ISP maintains… Continue Reading

Software Consumer Bill of Rights

Cem Kaner, Professor, Department of Computer Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, posted on his blog the text of ten suggested principles that comprise a “Software Customer Bill of Rights” which he authored in an effort to “restore integrity and trust — and consumer confidence, consumer excitement, and sales – in this stalled marketplace.” Continue Reading

Libraries and Fair Use

From Library Journal (reg. req’d): Fair Use Under Fire – ALA’s copyright expert gives her take on the challenges digital rights management presents for end users – and librarians: “In the digital realm, DRM technologies are changing the ways in which information is accessed and experienced, and they are undermining fair use. If content providers’… Continue Reading