SIIA Event to Explore Real-World Impact of Big Data & Policy Implications
Join SIIA for lunch and exciting technology presentations on how big data is being employed to empower and protect citizens. The lunch workshop, “Big Data at Work for Citizens: Applying Data Analytics for Empowerment and Fraud Prevention,” will take place on July 17 from 12-1:30pm in Room G11 of the Dirksen Senate office building. RSVP HERE.
Executive Director Marjory Blumenthal of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) will open the event with discussion of the Administration and PCAST reports on Big Data and Privacy released in May. In addition, the SIIA workshop will provide for Q&A and discussion about key policy considerations to maximize data-driven innovation. For more information, or to register, click here.
WIPO Considers Copyright Exceptions for Libraries and Archives
Discussion continued at the World Intellectual Property Organization during the 28th meeting of its Standing Committee on Copyrights and Related Rights on the need for exceptions and limitations for libraries and archives. The US and EU opposed a new treaty, noting that countries had flexibility to craft their own national exceptions to allow libraries to fulfill their public mission, subject to internationally recognized constraints. Blocks of other countries urged the need for a treaty to overcome coordination difficulties. The US urgedwork on principles and objectives to guide national legislation and the EU did not object. SIIA weighed in with a statement supporting the US position and encouraging further productive discussion. The meeting adjourned without a resolution of the issue. They will be taken up again at the next meeting of the SCCR in December.
Garnering Considerable Attention, European Commission VP and Commissioner Kroes Delivers Speech on Copyright
On July 2 the outgoing Commissioner, Nellie Kroes, delivered a speech in Amsterdam entitled: “Our single market is crying out for copyright reform.” Kroes said she wanted to see reform “now,” which would include more possibilities to access content online cross-border, harmonized exceptions, and flexibility. She strongly suggested that she would favor a copyright exception covering text and data mining. She mentioned that in 2009 Japan adopted a copyright exception covering text and data mining, including for commercial use. Kroes also referred to the two Communications the Commission issued on July 1 to better enforce Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).
The first Communication is an Action Plan involving ten actions, many involving more stakeholder consultation. The Commission makes clear that it wants to act against commercial-scale IPR infringer, not individual “consumers” of infringing materials. Clearly influenced by voluntary stakeholder agreements in the United States, the Commission wants to pursue a “follow-the-money” approach to curb commercial-scale infringements. The second Communication lays out a Strategy for dealing with enforcement of IPRs in third countries. The Communication does not really announce anything new, although the Commission wants to conduct regular surveys to identify a list of “priority countries” for focused EU efforts, which is similar to the Special 301 process the U.S. government engages in every year.
David LeDuc is Senior Director, Public Policy at SIIA. He focuses on e-commerce, privacy, cyber security, cloud computing, open standards, e-government and information policy. Follow the SIIA public policy team on Twitter at @SIIAPolicy.