Digital Rights Management and Consumer Acceptability: A Multi-Disciplinary Discussion of Consumer Concerns and Expectations

The INDICARE project – the Informed Dialogue about Consumer Acceptability of DRM Solutions in Europe – has been set up to raise awareness about consumer and user issues of Digital Rights Management (DRM) solutions. One of the main goals of the INDICARE project is to contribute to the consensus-building among multiple players with heterogeneous interests in the digital environment. To promote this process and to contribute to the creation of a common level of understanding is the aim of the present report. It provides an overview of consumer concerns and expectations regarding DRMs, and discusses the findings from a social, legal, technical and business perspective. A general overview of the existing EC initiatives shows that questions of consumer acceptability of DRM have only recently begun to draw wider attention. A review of the relevant statements, studies and reports confirms that awareness of consumer concerns is still at a low level. Five major categories of concerns have been distinguished so far: (1) fair conditions of use and access to digital content, (2) privacy, (3) interoperability, (4) transparency and (5) various aspects of consumer friendliness. From the legal point of view, many of the identified issues go beyond the scope of copyright law, i.e. the field of law where DRM was traditionally discussed. Often they are a matter of general or sector-specific consumer protection law. Furthermore, it is still unclear to what extent technology and an appropriate design of technical solutions can provide an answer to some of the concerns of consumers. One goal of the technical chapter was exactly to highlight some of these technical possibilities. Finally, it is shown that consumer acceptability of DRM is important for the economic success of different business models based on DRM. Fair and responsive DRM design can be a profitable strategy, however DRM-free alternatives do exist too.Digital Rights Management; consumers; Intellectual property; business models

The Recasting of Copyright & Related Rights for the Knowledge Economy

In the European Union, copyright law is increasingly a matter for the European legislator. Member states retain ever less competence to regulate intellectual property rights. This study critically examines the \u27acquis communautaire\u27 in the field of copyright and related (neighbouring) rights, focusing on the seven copyright specific directives, from the 1991 Software directive to the 2001 Information Society Directive. It also deals with distinct issues that are on the agenda of the EU: After reviewing arguments for and against the extension of the term of protection of phonograms (sound recordings), the authors conclude there is no convincing case for extending the term of protection for sound recordings and performing artists. Neither are there compelling arguments to further harmonize the term of protection of co-written musical works. The issue of \u27orphan works\u27 is one that could benefit from an EU wide solution. Having assessed the benefits and drawbacks of the fifteen years of harmonization of copyright, the authors conclude that the European legislator should exercise restraint in further harmonization efforts at least as long as a coherent vision of the role of copyright in the EU is lacking. The Study was commissioned by the European Commission, DG Internal Market (2006) and is available at the Institute for Information Law website

Digital Rights Management and Consumer Acceptability: A Multi-Disciplinary Discussion of Consumer Concerns and Expectations

The INDICARE project – the Informed Dialogue about Consumer Acceptability of DRM Solutions in Europe – has been set up to raise awareness about consumer and user issues of Digital Rights Management (DRM) solutions. One of the main goals of the INDICARE project is to contribute to the consensus-building among multiple players with heterogeneous interests in the digital environment. To promote this process and to contribute to the creation of a common level of understanding is the aim of the present report. It provides an overview of consumer concerns and expectations regarding DRMs, and discusses the findings from a social, legal, technical and business perspective. A general overview of the existing EC initiatives shows that questions of consumer acceptability of DRM have only recently begun to draw wider attention. A review of the relevant statements, studies and reports confirms that awareness of consumer concerns is still at a low level. Five major categories of concerns have been distinguished so far: (1) fair conditions of use and access to digital content, (2) privacy, (3) interoperability, (4) transparency and (5) various aspects of consumer friendliness. From the legal point of view, many of the identified issues go beyond the scope of copyright law, i.e. the field of law where DRM was traditionally discussed. Often they are a matter of general or sector-specific consumer protection law. Furthermore, it is still unclear to what extent technology and an appropriate design of technical solutions can provide an answer to some of the concerns of consumers. One goal of the technical chapter was exactly to highlight some of these technical possibilities. Finally, it is shown that consumer acceptability of DRM is important for the economic success of different business models based on DRM. Fair and responsive DRM design can be a profitable strategy, however DRM-free alternatives do exist too

Over passend inkomen en investeringen gesproken

Over passend inkomen en investeringen gesproken Stef van Gompel Wat verbaast, is het gemak waarmee het Hof deze monetaire componenten in zijn uitspraak betrekt, zonder zich ogenschijnlijk af te vragen wat dit betekent voor de praktijk. Veronderstelt het Hof dat de synchronisatievergoeding voor de vastlegging van fonogrammen en daarop vastgelegde uitvoeringen in een audiovisueel werk nu volstaat om uitvoerende kunstenaars een passend inkomen te geven en fonogrammenproducenten..

Formalidades dos direitos autorais na era de internet: filtros de proteção ou facilitadores de licenciamento

The author refers to the objectives that inspired the reintroduction of copyright formalities, pointing to two specific objectives, facilitate the acquisition of copyrights and to improve the flow of information to increase public domain. Both would help achieve the overall objective of creating legal certainty about the authorship, property and terms of protection of works. Determined these objectives, the author examines how and what kind of formalities, in the light of the requirements of the Berne Convention, could help achieve those objectives. He concludes that currently could only be introduced formalities in order to facilitate the acquisition of rights, unless the prohibition against formalities of the Berne Convention is changed.El autor se refiere a los objetivos que inspirarían la reinstauración de formalidades de derechos de autor, señalando dos objetivos específicos, el de facilitar la adquisición de derechos de autor y el de mejorar el flujo de información al aumentar el dominio público. Ambos ayudarían a alcanzar el objetivo general de crear certeza legal sobre la autoría, dominio y términos de protección de las obras. Determinados estos objetivos el autor examina de qué forma y qué tipo de formalidades, a la luz de las exigencias del Convenio de Berna, podrían ayudar a alcanzar dichos objetivos. Concluye que actualmente solo podrían ser introducidas formalidades con el propósito de facilitar la adquisición de derechos, salvo que la prohibición de formalidades del Convenio de Berna sea cambiada.O autor se refer aos objetivos que inspirariam a restauração das formalidades no direito autoral, assinalando dois objetivos específicos: facilitar a aquisição de direitos de autor, e melhorar o fluxo de informação para aumentar o domínio público. Ambos ajudariam a alcançar o objetivo geral de criar segurança jurídica sobre a autoria, domínio e termos de proteção das obras. Determinados estes objetivos, o autor examina de que forma e que tipo de formalidades, à luz das exigências da Convenção de Berna, poderiam ajudar a alcançar aqueles objetivos. Conclui que atualmente só; poderiam ser introduzidas formalidades com o propósito de facilitar a aquisição de direitos, salvo que a proibição de formalidades da Convenção de Berna seja modificada