“Today we celebrate a victory for content producers.”

“Today was a victory for copyright protection.”

The "Today" in question, mind you, was the day on which HD-DVD copy protection was broken.

Google Said to Violate Copyright Laws

The Hong Kong government has unveiled a plan to use 200,000 young people from organizations like the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides as watchdogs for internet copyright infringement. Many civil liberties advocates question the use of teenagers in state-sponsored law enforcement. While Hong Kong authorities claim that the program encourages good citizenship among a population with a high rate of internet piracy, others compare it to youth-informant programs from China’s Cultural Revolution. The Hong Kong customs agency has no plans for legal action against those who download copyrighted material, yet prescribes criminal penalties for those who provide copyrighted materials to others via file-sharing software. The entertainment industry applauds the program, while other nations express interest in a youth patrol for piracy.

I missed this story when it appeared in NYT ...

Dare Violate a Copyright in Hong Kong? A Boy Scout May Be Watching Online

It did not take much investigating to follow the data trail to Thelma Arnold, a 62-year-old widow who lives in Lilburn, Ga., frequently researches her friends' medical ailments and loves her three dogs. "Those are my searches," she said, after a reporter read part of the list to her.

The detailed records of searches conducted by Ms. Arnold and 657,000 other Americans, copies of which continue to circulate online, underscore how much people unintentionally reveal about themselves when they use search engines -- and how risky it can be for companies like AOL, Google and Yahoo to compile such data.

I sense a class-action lawsuit coming on. Is there a case to be made here? Could Ms. Arnold recover damages from AOL Time Warner?

A Face Is Exposed for AOL Searcher No. 4417749

The Washington Post did not review the full 439-megabyte data set but contacted bloggers who had looked at it.

"On the advice of our legal counsel, we are steering clear of this particular minefield. We leave it as an exercise to the reader to determine whether their personal data may have been leaked in this incident."

AOL Takes Down Site With Users' Search Data

Continuing advancement in the life sciences is essential to thwarting bioterrorism, the report says; vaccine development, for example, depends on cutting-edge biomedical research. The open exchange of scientific data and concepts is the linchpin of these advances, and the results of fundamental research should remain unrestricted except when national security requires classification of the information. U.S. policymakers also should promote international scientific exchange and the training of foreign scientists in the United States. Both measures have contributed to the productivity of America's scientific enterprise.

Promoting a shared sense of responsibility as well as ethical behavior throughout the world's scientific enterprise is important. S&T leaders and practitioners should develop explicit national and international codes of ethics and conduct for life scientists, the committee said. Additionally, decentralized groups of scientists, government leaders, and other authorities are needed around the world to collaboratively monitor the potential misuse of biomedical tools and technologies -- and intervene if necessary.

This report came out in January, but I hadn't noticed it at the time.

Globalization, Biosecurity, and the Future of the Life Sciences

Read the decision, if you please.

Adult publisher Perfect 10 won a partial victory in its efforts to stop search engines' display of its photos in image search results.

Today, Judge A. Howard Matz of the U.S. District Court of the Central District of California said Perfect 10 is likely to succeed in proving that Google directly infringes its copyright by creating and displaying thumbnail copies of its photographs.

Google and A9 May Stop Showing Perfect 10s

Walt Disney Co., Time Warner Inc. and three other movie studios sued Samsung Electronics Co., saying the company's DVD players allowed consumers to circumvent encryption features that prevent unauthorized duplication. The lawsuit demands a recall of all Samsung DVD players that allow copy-protection features to be disabled.

The National Academies will hold a public symposium on the Webcasting portion of the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) proposed Treaty on the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations.

The agenda includes an Executive Vice President of the MPAA, "speaking in his personal capacity."

You know it's significant when the President of the National Academy of Engineering decides to host a symposium on webcasting.

Join Webcast of Symposium on Proposed WIPO 'Webcasting Treaty'

Apple Computer has filed to trademark the phrase "Mobile Me" for use in a wide range of businesses, furthering speculation it could introduce an iPod phone.

There has also been speculation that Apple would, along with an iPod phone, resell cellular phone service provided by a cell service provider, becoming what's known as a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO.

The speculation seems pretty sound. From USPTO, entry #1:

Word Mark: MOBILE ME
Goods and Services: IC 042. US 100 101. G & S: Computer services; computer data recovery; data analysis being computer services; computer programming; updating of computer software; maintenance of computer software, computer and communications networks, and computer systems; research and development of computer hardware and software; website design, creation, hosting services; customized imprinting and design of messages, correspondence and other written communication which are delivered by electronic transmission; computer on-line services for the search, retrieval, indexing and organization of data on computer and communication networks; providing use of on-line, non-downloadable software; providing use of on-line, non-downloadable software for communications via local or global communications networks, including the Internet, Intranets, Extranets, television, mobile communication, cellular, and satellite networks; analyzing data to detect, eradicate and prevent the occurrence of computer viruses; computer services relating to the protection of computer hardware, computer software, computer networks and computer systems against computer viruses, attacks, or failures; computer services for enhancing the performance, security and functionality of computer and communications networks; computer help-line services; technical support services relating to computers, computer software, telecommunications, and the Internet; consultancy and provision of information and advice relating to the aforesaid; all provided on-line from a computer database or provided from facilities on local or global communications networks, including the Internet, Intranets, Extranets, television, mobile communication, cellular, and satellite networks

Serial Number 78785959
Filing Date January 5, 2006
Owner (APPLICANT) Apple Computer, Inc.

Entry #2:

Word Mark: MOBILE ME
Goods and Services: IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: providing digital music from local or global communications networks, including the internet, intranets, extranets, television, mobile communication, cellular and satellite networks; operating chat rooms; publication of electronic books and journals from local or global communications networks, including the internet, intranets, extranets, television, mobile communication, cellular and satellite networks; providing on-line electronic publications; electronic games services provided from loca... [ Read More (0.6k in body) ]

Apple files 'Mobile Me' as US trademark

This lively and innovative book is about computer code and the legal controls and restrictions on those who write it.

While the digital revolution allows quick and extensive use of these intellectual properties, it also means that their developers face new challenges in retaining their rights as creators.

This is the first book to confront these problems with serious policy solutions. It is sure to become the standard reference for software developers, those concerned with intellectual property issues, and for policymakers seeking direction. It is critical that public policy on these issues facilitates progress rather than hindering it. There is too much at stake.

This is an advance notice. The book isn't for sale until September.

Math You Can't Use