Just before the Independence Day weekend, a bill was introduced in the House that would increase the tax collection burden for thousands of small, independent businesses using the Internet to sell their products. The Computer & Communications Industry Association has serious concerns about H.R. 5660, the Main Street Fairness Act sponsored by Rep. William Delahunt,…
As the nation prepares to celebrate its independence this weekend, an international agreement under negotiation in Switzerland this past week threatens to limit the protection of and extension of our freedoms to the Internet world. Americans and Internet users around the world are facing mounting efforts by governments to expand their control, restrict new models…
The Supreme Court has issued a long awaited decision that could impact whether business methods can be patented. The Supreme Court denied a patent for a risk management method in Bilski v. Kappos, while still allowing some business methods to be patented. The justices reduced the strength of the lower court rejection by stating that…
Washington – Viacom v. YouTube copyright case. This decision shows that the DMCA safe harbors are working, and that Congress struck the proper balance, by providing robust protection for creators who think their copyrights are infringed, while still allowing platforms for expression to flourish online.The following statement can be attributed to Computer & Communications Industry…
The Computer & Communications Industry Association is releasing a list of questions that should be asked as the Office of Intellectual Property Enforcement releases its strategy to coordinate IP enforcement across the federal government. If properly pursued, such a plan could be valuable, but if not implemented properly it could be a drag on innovation.…
The FCC has approved a formal process today to gather feedback on the FCC chairman’s proposal to narrowly reclassify the transmission component of broadband Internet access as a telecommunications service. FCC Chaiman Julius Genachowski’s so-called “third way” would excuse Internet Access Providers from price regulation, but it would limit their ability to discriminate and prioritize…
Leading broadband and technology companies announced plans today for a voluntary Broadband Internet Technical Advisory Group. The group would give advice to the FCC on Internet engineering issues like network management for congestion, peering, local interconnection, privacy, data security, and cooperation with law enforcement. The Computer & Communications Industry Association had previously recommended the formation…
The Senate Antitrust Subcommittee will hold a general oversight hearing this afternoon on the two federal antitrust enforcement agencies charged with protecting consumers — the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition. It will be Chairman Kohl’s chance to ask questions about mergers he has expressed concern about such…
Brussels – The Computer & Communications Industry Association has sent letters about the intellectual property provisions in upcoming free trade agreements and the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement to the president of the European Parliament, committee chairs and members of the European Commission today. The letter notes that the information and communications industries support free trade agreements, but they are deeply…
