[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

ICSTI: Two news items

• To: Multiple recipients of list <epc-l@iucr.org>
• Subject: ICSTI: Two news items
• From: Pete Strickland <ps@iucr.org>
• Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2002 14:00:28 GMT

News for ICSTI Members November 11 2002

1.UK implementation of the EU copyright directive 

This is a contentious issue, the actual implementation of the recent EU 
Directive on copyright in to the laws of the Member States. I said in the 
original item on this that the agreement, which allowed Members States to 
implement their own interpretations of certain activities, would cause 
problems. A recent item in The Register 
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/28015.html is about the UK’s proposal 
(available at 
http://www.patent.gov.uk/about/consultations/eccopyright/summary.htm) and 
deals with circumvention of technical measures to prevent copying. Some 
extracts:
 
“The UK had at least two choices under the Directive -- put the burden of 
protecting consumer rights on the global media companies or put the burden on 
consumers. The UK Patent Office [the implementing agency] has made its choice 
– and is putting the burden squarely on consumers. Under proposed provision, 
if you buy a CD which is copy- protected, and it doesn't play in your 
computer disc drive, or won't download to your MP3 player, your only remedy 
will be to send a letter of complaint to the Secretary of State” [the 
Minister responsible]. 

“…the proposed changes to the Copyright Code should be altered to make clear 
that media companies cannot employ technology which does not allow for 
existing fair dealing rights, including time-shifting, and that circumvention 
of that technology is permitted to exercise any exception to copyright. UK 
law should also make clear that home copying by consumers is a right, not a 
privilege. Consumers should not have to complain to the Secretary of State 
before being allowed to sue when sold a defective product -- and any digital 
product that does not permit the full exercise of all copyright exceptions is 
such a defective product” 

2. ….. and we think we may have problems…..

EPIC Alert (Volume 9.20 published on October 24, 2002) has a report entitled: 
"Public Protest Over Data Retention Increases in Europe"

As the preamble to the full report states: "The prospect of generalized and 
systematic surveillance of electronic communications across Europe is raising 
many pressing questions. Several recent developments in Europe show that the 
principle of data retention, introduced in the recent EU Directive on Privacy 
and Electronic Communications (Dir. 2002/58/EC) is facing strong criticism by 
privacy experts, data
protection commissioners, civil liberties groups, and the ISP industry". The 
article gives recent examples of the concerns raised by these various groups 
from across Europe. EPIC Alert is a free e-zine published by the Electronic 
Privacy Information Center (EPIC) in the USA.

URL: http://www.epic.org/alert/EPIC_Alert_9.20.html

Don’t worry, it doesn’t concern STI specifically, it is about retaining user 
data for security purposes…but it could affect the legal provisions on who is 
responsible. 


-- 

Best wishes

Peter Strickland
Managing Editor
IUCr Journals

----------------------------------------------------------------------
IUCr Editorial Office, 5 Abbey Square, Chester CH1 2HU, England
Phone: 44 1244 342878   Fax: 44 1244 314888   Email: ps@iucr.org
Ftp: ftp.iucr.org   WWW: http://journals.iucr.org/

NEWSFLASH: Complete text of all IUCr journals back to 1948 
now online! Visit Crystallography Journals Online for more details

=?windows-1252?Q?News=20for=20ICSTI=20Members=20November=2011=202002.doc?=

Reply to: [list | sender only]

• Prev by Date: ICSTI: New Dutch initiative in academic publishing and distribution
• Next by Date: copyright
• Prev by thread: copyright
• Next by thread: ICSTI: New Dutch initiative in academic publishing and distribution
• Index(es):
  • Date
  • Thread