Rent Check
How copyright enabled the rightsholders of “Imperial March” to profit from a Darth Vader fan film, whose creators secured permission by promising Disney they wouldn’t profit from the venture.
While the promise of robust protections for monopoly rights may make developing countries more attractive places for foreign direct investment, there are countless other incentives for FDI even absent strong IP rights. Indeed, the push for stronger IPR usually comes after sustained FDI.
News and Commentary
The negotiations over the E.U.’s copyright directive are a mess. Read commentary from EFF’s Cory Doctorow and Danny O’Brien on how negotiations over the directive, particularly Article 13 and the dreaded link tax, are falling apart as member states face the daunting task that would be the directive’s implementation.
What is intellectual property, and does China steal it? By Grant Clark via The Washington Post.
Coverage of FTC vs. Qualcomm from FOSS patents. The FTC alleges Qualcomm is engaging in anticompetitive practices by setting unreasonable licensing standards for authorizing others looking to buy Qualcomm’s chips (and withholding shipments for those who didn’t accept them). But remember, Qualcomm’s status as a monopolist is a creature of intellectual property law.
As cannabis legalization expands, companies are seeking to patent various cannabis-derived chemicals.
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