Some Relevant Academic Writings - July 2009

1. "Clash of the Titans: Does Internet Use Reduce Television Viewing?"
by Stan J. Liebowitz and Alejandro Zentner
July 29, 2009
(LINK)
2. "Invoking and Avoiding the First Amendment: How Internet Service Providers Leverage Their Status as Both Content Creators and Neutral Conduits"
by Rob Friedan
June 1, 2009
(LINK)
3. "Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears the Crown: Why Content’s Kingdom is Slipping Away"
by Jonathan Handel
Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 597-636, 2009
(LINK)
4. "The Death of TV (As We Know It"
by D. Yvette Wohn
Jan 12, 2009
(LINK)
5. "Converting Pirates Without Cannibalizing Purchasers: The Impact of Digital Distribution on Physical Sales and Internet Piracy"
by Danaher, Brett, Dhanasobhon, Samita, Smith, Michael D. and Telang, Rahul
April 14, 2009
(LINK)
6. "Solutions to P2P Copyright Crisis in Hong Kong"
by Lin Xie
March 12, 2009
(LINK)

News Roundup - July 2009

1. Sir Bonar Neville-Kingdom on the 'Three Pillars of Digital Britain'
(LINK)
2. Judge puts kibosh on YouTube copyright damages dogpile
(LINK)
3. Green Tech gets video home online
(LINK)

Green Dam

“If you dam a river it stagnates. Running water is beautiful water. So be a channel.”
(English Proverb)

Green Dam Youth Escort is software implemented by the Chinese Government to effectively censor the internet, especially aimed at curbing online pornography and violence. The software is to be included on all new computers sold in mainland China. Aside from the obvious issues about internet censorship, it is interesting to note that the potential scope of such software could be widened to cover the protection of copyright materials. As such, content producers may wish to pay close attention to the success/failure of Green Dam.

To learn more, follow the links below:

China's Green Dam and the cyberwar implications
(LINK)
China's porn obsession not just a coverup for political repression
(LINK)
Who is attacking Solid Oak, whose code was stolen for Green Dam?
(LINK)
US calls for China to revoke censorware plan
(LINK)
China throttles Google, U.S. ratchets up trade war over Green Dam
(LINK)
On eve of Tianamen anniversary, China blocks Twitter, Flickr, Bing
(LINK)
China demands new PCs carry spyware
(LINK)
China defends 'healthy development' of spyware
(LINK)
Green Dam definitively blocks political sites - and creates security breach
(LINK)
US developer: China's Green Dam steals our code
(LINK)
Green Dam built on copyright, open source violations
(LINK)
Anonymous netizens offer a July 1 manifesto, posters
(LINK)
US Embassy joins in the Green Dam fray
(LINK)
China's not backing down but Green Dam Girl fights back
(LINK)

Will the Future of Internet TV Require a Credit Card?

As a regular user of the internet I have long been a fan of all the free content available. From video clips, to podcasts and news. In fact, my motto is usually "if you are paying for something online then you aren't searching hard enough" Apparently this will all change in the future though. You can read why below.

Source

The cure for YouTube's ills: Charge for uploads
(LINK)
The state of Internet TV: Consumers may pay for content; Aggregators win
(LINK)
Barry Diller: The Internet 'Absolutely' Will Become a 'Paid System'. Time Projection: Within 5 Years
(LINK)
The Cost of the Free Internet
(LINK)

News Roundup - June 2009

1. Copyfraud: Poisoning the public domain
(LINK)
2. Google's real YouTube strategy
(LINK)
3. ISPs vs BBC iPlayer: Missing the point?
(LINK)
4. Great Australian Firewall to censor online games
(LINK)
5. Firms must go to court to stop all counterfeit hauls
(LINK)
6. YouTube reports exponential growth; issues viral video challenge
(LINK)
7. TV's future: the partnerships are forming now
(LINK)
8. YouTube XL: Designed for viewing on HDTVs
(LINK)
9. Gov. to pirates: we'll slow you down, not cut you off
(LINK)
10. Napster and the "The more things change" rule
(LINK)
11. DRM licensing group plan to plug analog hole
(LINK)
12. New Thomas trial opens with advantage to RIAA
(LINK)
13. Virgin mulls suspensions of file sharers
(LINK)
14. ISP spying begins in UK, as Universal, Virgin ink a deal
(LINK)
15. Rapidshare stung with €24m fine
(LINK)
16. Boxee launches on Windows; new apps from CurrentTV, Digg, MLB.tv
(LINK)
17. Qik rolls out live video streaming for Google Android
(LINK)
18. The media is dead. Long live the media
(LINK)
19. Having forced one Irish ISP to adopt three strikes rules, labels sue to force others to match policy
(LINK)
20. 'Insane' $1.9 million verdict could prove RIAA's downfall
(LINK)
21. RIAA's $1.92 million victory: more about message, less about money
(LINK)
22. Wow! Jury verdict in Capitol v Thomas-Rasset: $2 million
(LINK)
23. Data and software both want to be shared
(LINK)

Rare Good News Day for Irish Company

The world economy is in freefall, and Ireland has been particularly vulnerable to the downturn due to an over-reliance on foreign multi-nationals, i.e. Dell's Limerick Plant closure. However, one piece of good news is that Microsoft has licensed its anti-piracy technology to a Dublin based company, IrishTech. The better news for that company is that Microsoft intends to be a customer. Congratulations, IrishTech, and thanks for the brief respite from the doom and gloom.

Source

Microsoft sheds its third-party anti-piracy technology
(LINK)
The real cost of Dell blow
(LINK)

The "piratebay" Situation, Yet Another Update

Two brief updates for you:

1. Arguments have been made that the judge in the case is not biased, despite being a member of pro-copyright groups. The Swedish Court of Appeals will rule on the matter.

2. One of Sweden's eighteen seats in the European Parliament has been won by the Pirate Party, who garnered 7.1 per cent of the vote. Certainly an interesting development, although one that is unlikely to have a direct impact on the case in hand.

Source

Yo, ho ho! Sweden sends a Pirate to Parliament
(LINK)
Court says Pirate Bay judge not biased
(LINK)