Who will pay the bill if an act modifying Copyright law is passed before the next election? Read House of Lords explanatory notes.

YouTube , Vimeo and Daily Motion amongst other potential website infringers of the proposed legislation may cry ‘this is a blow to web freedom’ but the one who pays the piper should still have a say in the tune that is called.

In answer to ‘the bill question’ it is likely to be the ISPs and then us that incur the effort and cost!

Performers rights advice from the Rockgrass group Hayseed Dixie ‘…….. For investigators who have access to the technology, Hayseed Dixie encourages audio and video recording at live shows, and the trading and sharing of these recordings afterwards. The ONLY stipulation is that said recordings absolutely may not be used for commercial gain - just don’t sell them, folks. That ain’t cool and may result in an East Tennessee Ass-Whooping should the band find out about it (and they will)…..’

Whooping must be viral like the cough.

Universecy

The headline from the Press and Journal following stories in the Daily Telegraph and the BBC is ‘North-east firm’s (Ling24) website pirated - Chinese company copies design‘.  The almost exact replica web site was a blatant attack on Ling24’s intellectual property and business.

Protection Tips Arising

Ensure you  understand the IP issues on your web site including copyright ownership, systems, usage policies, data rights etc.
Check for Google alerts on your key words - that is how this theft was discovered.
Be alert all sorts of digital misappropriations are taking place - a client’s subscription PDF was cloned in December and made available free via a social publishing web site.
Keep up to date, be vigilant and encourage your support networks to help.

www. Cybersquatters. any

Domain squatting or cybersquatting are terms used for someone who registers a domain with no intention of using it.
In the USA it is illegal under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, to register, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad faith intending to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else.

This is fertile territory for lawyers in helping you defend your IP in domains. Brands Solicitors have a useful list of steps to protect your domain names including the obvious and potentially valuable idea of registering your domain name as a trademark.

Domains can change hands for significant sums and should be protected. They can be stolen particularly around renewal time so be prepared. A domain can become a brand even if it is not perfect but the website is doing well. A well chosen or appropriate domain has inherent value.