Author: hughstephensblog

On March 4 another attempt in Hong Kong’s never-ending saga to amend its Copyright Ordinance to bring it into the 21^st Century failed with the government announcing that it was withdrawing the Bill after weeks of discussion, debate and protests. Continue reading “Copyright Reform: Don’t Play Fast and Loose with Copyright Exceptions”

It’s Special 301 season again. This is the time of the year when the US Trade Representative’s Office (USTR) conducts its annual Special 301 reviews on the policies and practices of foreign governments regarding whether they deny adequate and effective protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights, and whether there is denial of fair and equitable market access for US products that rely upon IP rights. Continue reading “Hijacking the Special 301 Process: We will all suffer the consequences”

The treatment of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) arouses strong emotions, as evidenced by the film Blackfish, the story of Tilikum, literally the killer whale, or The Cove, the film that turned the spotlight on Japan’s bloody annual dolphin hunt. Continue reading “A Whale of a Tale…a Copyright Tale”

News of Warner/Chappell’s US$14 million settlement of the “Happy Birthday” copyright settlement made headlines world wide. It even made my local paper—and not much world news does. It is a story that everyone can relate to. Continue reading ““Happy Birthday” and all that: What does the “Happy Birthday” decision prove when it comes to copyright law?”