Pauline Wong is the Assistant Director of IP Osgoode.
Victoria Espinel, the US Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, in a post on the White House Blog, commends an agreement between Internet service providers and entertainment companies to cooperate to combat online infringement.
Ms. Espinel states: “We believe that this agreement is a positive step and consistent with our strategy of encouraging voluntary efforts to strengthen online intellectual property enforcement and with our broader Internet policy principles, emphasizing privacy, free speech, competition and due process.
She closes with a statement regarding future efforts in the area: “the Administration will continue to pursue comprehensive solutions to the problems associated with Internet piracy, including increased law enforcement and educational awareness. To win the future and succeed in the global economy, it is critical to protect the intellectual property of America’s innovators and creators.”
According to the Huffington Post, the agreement involves a warning system that will give a customer six strikes, called “Copyright Alerts”, before implementing measures like slowing Internet speeds. The Huffington Post also reports that “Consumer advocates applauded the measure for its potential to be an ‘important educational vehicle,’ but also cautioned that rights violations could result depending on implementation.”
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