From Cellular News: A US Federal Judge has stated that there is likely evidence that Apple had conspired to increase the price of eBooks. Apple has previously refused offers from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to settle, as part of the DOJ’s ongoing investigation into the pricing of eBooks. At a pre-trial hearing US […] Read more »
Intellectual Property Law eNews Items
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Microsoft Launches Patent Monitoring Service
From Forbes and Microsoft: Microsoft has launched a service designed to enable anyone to determine which of its patents are owned and by whom. The internet based patent monitory service tracks changes to a variety of Patent Registers in Europe and North America to help with its cause. The Patent tracker can also track changes to patent families and […] Read more »
What Australian businesses need to know about cloud compliance
From ZDNet: Australia often draws up regulation based on tried and tested laws from around the world. But there are times when the country pushes for bold new legislation that may be out-of-step with our technology-centric modern society. Prime examples of these include changes to its Privacy Act, which have taken four years to reach […] Read more »
Damages slashed in Apple v Samsung
A US Judge has slashed the US$1.05 billion in damages awarded to Apple in their ongoing patent dispute with Samsung, and a new trial has been ordered. The original order against Samsung was handed down on August 31 2012 and was Apple’s single largest victory in their numerous suits against Samsung for alleged violation of […] Read more »
Samsung questions Apple patents
From ZDNet: In the ongoing patent dispute between Apple and Samsung in the Australian Federal Court, Samsung counsel Richard Cobden has questioned the validity of the Apple gesture patents that Samsung is alleged to have infringed, stating that a “beautiful or elegant” gesture is not something that can be patented. The long-running case kicked off […] Read more »
Google Sues British Telecom in Retaliation for Android Lawsuit
From Cellular News: Google has launched a patent lawsuit against UK based landline operator, British Telecom (BT) as the two sides escalate a patent battle. BT had initiated the fight in late 2011 after it sued Google over a series of mobile patents which it said were being infringed in Android smartphones. Google has now […] Read more »
Federal Court provides clarity on internet simulcasting
From the Australian Copyright Council: The Federal Court has unanimously ruled in favor of artists and recording labels, by overturning a previous decision regarding internet simulcasts. The PPCA (representing the artists and recording labels) in its press release reports that it “has won a declaration that internet simulcasts of radio programs fall outside the definition […] Read more »
BYOD could open businesses to copyright litigation: BSA
From ZDNet: Most businesses are aware of the repercussions of using pirated or counterfeit software; however, with the consumerisation of IT, many employees may be opening up their employers to increased liability without the business even knowing it. Speaking to ZDNet, Business Software Alliance (BSA) chair Clayton Noble said that while businesses that are purposely […] Read more »
Australia does not sign up to International Telecommunications Regulations on Internet Law
From DBCDE: The Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today confirmed that Australia will not sign a revised international telecommunications treaty on internet law, as it has the potential to fundamentally change the way the internet operates. Over the past two weeks, the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) has […] Read more »
Intellectual Property Protection Tips
From NYT: The two most precious resources for any small-business owner are time and money. That’s why when the subject of intellectual property comes up, many owners run in the other direction. They see images of expensive lawyers and use that as an excuse to ignore the topic, reasoning that it is a problem for […] Read more »
Yahoo Hit With $2.7B Verdict In Mexican Court Case; Will Appeal
Yahoo this afternoon said a Mexican court has ordered the company to pay $2.7 billion in a case filed by a pair of companies that publish telephone directories. The verdict was issued by the 49th Civil Court of the Federal District of Mexico City, in a case filed by Worldwide Directories S.A. de C.V. and Ideas […] Read more »
ACCC, eBay seek cloud copyright clarity
ITNews reports that eBay has joined Australia’s competition watchdog in urging the Government to iron out technology-specific “anomalies” in cloud copyright law that could harm the development of cloud services. The two organisations are among 181 so far to make submissions to an Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) issues paper. Submissions were published yesterday. The […] Read more »
Cloud Law Issues in File-Sharing’s Future
Last month Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom, who is facing charges in the United States for engaging in digital piracy, announced that he would relocate a new version of his site, Me.ga, outside the United States. The belief was that this would free him from coming under fire by U.S. law enforcement, but Gabon — which […] Read more »
ACCC starts legal proceedings against Harvey Norman franchisees
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court in Sydney against eleven Harvey Norman franchisees for allegedly misrepresenting consumer rights. The Harvey Norman franchisees are: Avitalb Pty Limited, located in Albany, Western Australia Bunavit Pty Limited, located in Bundall, Queensland Camavit Pty Limited, located in Campbelltown, New South Wales Gordon […] Read more »
Half of internet users unsure if internet content is legal
Nearly half of all internet users are unsure whether the content they are accessing online is legal, Ofcom research has found. However, one in six people online believed they downloaded or accessed content illegally over a three-month period this year. The findings come from the first wave of a large-scale consumer study into the extent […] Read more »