US Says 4.3 Billion People Live With Bad IP Laws 229
bowser100 writes "The US government has released its annual Special 301 report (PDF) in which it purports to identify those countries with inadequate intellectual property laws. Michael Geist digs into the report, noting the list is so large that it is rendered meaningless. According to the report, approximately 4.3 billion people
live in countries without effective intellectual property protection. Since the report does not include any African countries outside of North Africa, the US is effectively saying that only a small percentage of the world meets its standard for IP protection."
IP Limit (Score:5, Funny)
Luckily the IP limit is right around 4.3 billion. Just wait until IPv6. Wait, I think I misunderstood...
Irony! (Score:2, Funny)
Comment removed (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Which is to say (Score:2, Funny)
Canada (Score:5, Funny)
"Canada
Canada will remain on the Priority Watch List in 2010. The United States looks forward to the government of Canada’s implementation of its previous commitments, recently reaffirmed in 2010, to improve IPR protection, and is encouraged by the high level of cooperation between the Canadian and United States governments on IPR matters. However, Canada has not completed the legislative reforms in the copyright area that are necessary to deliver on its commitments. The United States urges Canada to enact legislation in the near term to update its copyright laws and address the challenge of Internet piracy. Canada should fully implement the WIPO Internet Treaties, which Canada signed in 1997. Canada’s weak enforcement of intellectual property rights is also of concern, and the United States continues to encourage Canada to improve its IPR enforcement system to provide for deterrent sentences and stronger enforcement powers. In particular, border enforcement continues to be weak. The United States encourages Canada to provide its border officials with the authority to seize suspected infringing materials without the need for a court order. The United States will continue to follow Canada’s progress toward implementing an adequate and effective IPR protection and enforcement regime, including its progress on actions to address Internet piracy and improve border enforcement."
Ya. We'll get right on top of that.
Though I am pretty sure our Conservative government has bigger problems than your stupid IP laws.
Re:Where is the evidence? (Score:1, Funny)
If anyone has pointers to evidence either way, I'd love to see it.
http://xkcd.com/138/ [xkcd.com]