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Published byKellie Armstrong Modified over 9 years ago
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September 25, 2012 Herb Regehr and Kwan Loh Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP Changes to Copyright Law – a Practical Discussion
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Protects: expression of idea (not idea itself) Owner: author is first owner, except for employees Term: arises on creation; life of author + 50 years Assignment: copyright can only be assigned in writing Copyright - Basics
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Copyright Literary Works Dramatic WorksMusical Works Artistic Works
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What’s special about 2012? 2012 – a year of change Copyright Modernization Act Five decisions from the S.C.C.
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Copyright Modernization Act Bill C-11, or “The 4th time’s the charm” 2005, 2008, 2011 Why “modernize”? Commitment to WIPO treaties – signed 1997 Account for “the digital age” Royal Assent – June 29, 2012
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Key Topics Photographers Performers and sound recorders Enabling infringement Shelters and safe harbors Technological protective measures and rights management information (TPD and RMI)
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Key Topics Exceptions for consumers Exceptions for educational institutions Limitation on statutory damages Fair dealing
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Photographers Now own copyright in their photographs subject to agreement to contrary Exception to infringement for commissioner Non-commercial purpose Revise agreements with photographers?
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Performers and Sound Recorders Right to make available and distribute recognition of Internet as means of communication Performers now have moral rights 50 years from publication Need for waivers?
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Enabling infringement Providing a service “primarily for the purpose of enabling acts of copyright infringement” = infringement Pirate Bay, Isohunt Possibility of statutory damages avoid need to prove damage
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Shelters for ISPs As intermediary – not liable for infringement caching; hosting are OK only technical modification of material allowed contrast with “enablers” unless ISP has knowledge of Court decision Who is a “service provider”?
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Shelters for ISPs Notice and Notice copyright owner -> ISP -> alleged infringer ISP to retain records on alleged infringer Failure to comply remedy limited to statutory damages ($5,000 to $10,000)
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Shelters for search engines “information location tools” only technical modification of material allowed Only relief that can be claimed is injunctive – no damages! “Don’t be Evil”…
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TPMs and RMIs TPMs control access to or restrict use of digital material e.g. digital locks, registration/activation keys, encryption can trump copyright exceptions (fair use etc.) RMIs manage information about a copyrighted work and its owner e.g. digital watermark
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TPMs and RMIs Prevent: Circumvention of TPMs; tampering with RMIs No removal or alteration of RMI without consent injunction, damages, accounting, delivery up, etc.
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Consumer exceptions Non-commercial user generated content the “YouTube” provision – mash-ups non-commercial credit original source no reason to believe source material infringes no adverse effect on source
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Consumer exceptions Reproduction for private purposes and backup copies original legally obtained / non-infringing does not circumvent TPM not given away used for private purposes / solely for backup
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Educational institutions Reproduction and display of work for purpose of education on premises Distance education lessons Digital reproduction of licensed works Use of publicly available works for education
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Limitation on statutory damages New: “non-commercial infringement” $100 to $5,000 for all infringements Contrast to $500 to $20,000 for commercial infringement How will “non-commercial” be defined?
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Fair dealing – statutory changes New categories: education parody satire Broadens fair dealing – but still not the same as fair use in the U.S.
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Fair dealing – statutory changes Dealing must be “fair” (CCH) purpose character amount alternatives nature of the work effect of the dealing on the work
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Fair dealing – statutory changes Parody: close imitation for purposes of humor or ridicule Satire: holding up human practices to ridicule or scorn through sarcasm, irony or trenchant wit Poor “Bim” – open season? Michelin v. CAW (FCTD) – union held liable How thick is your corporate “skin”?
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Fair dealing – statutory changes
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Fair dealing – S.C.C. cases SOCAN v. Bell Canada music previews (e.g. on iTunes) – fair? Yes – previews constitute fair dealing for research (9-0 decision)
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Fair dealing – S.C.C. cases SOCAN v. Bell Canada liberal interpretation of “research” fairness analysis: > previews help consumers’ purchase decision > effect of previews is to increase sales of the work > no copies existed after preview heard > of lower quality
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Fair dealing – S.C.C. cases Alberta v. Access Copyright multiple copies of short excerpts of textbooks as complement to main textbook – fair? Yes – “private study” by students (5-4 decision)
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Fair dealing – S.C.C. cases Alberta v. Access Copyright Majority: teachers facilitate students’ research and private study; no ulterior motive private study focused on concept of studying; need not be in isolation
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Fair dealing – S.C.C. cases Alberta v. Access Copyright Majority: no reasonable alternative to achieve the same purpose no evidence that decline in textbook sales resulted from competition with copies copying facilitates access to books already purchased
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Fair dealing – S.C.C. cases Alberta v. Access Copyright Minority: teacher’s purpose: to teach students (now have education as “fair dealing”) “private study” = individual study; otherwise “private” has no meaning absence of alternative does not necessarily make dealing fair
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Practical implications Unfortunately, there is little certainty Those working with photographers and performers – consider existing agreements and whether there is need to revise Ensure websites are not enabling infringement
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Practical implications Set up Notice and Notice procedures Re-evaluate litigation (existing and potential) Understand the shelters and exemptions available to ISPs, search engines, educational institutions and consumers, and possible changes re: statutory damages / injunctive relief
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Questions?
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Thank you!
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