Intellectual property News

Toronto - Who owns your genes? You? Big Pharma? Or should it be for the public good? At present the balance is with the company that patents the genetic material. Is this right? Not according to an Ottawa hospital.

Salt Lake City - From a squabble between neighbors in Smalltown, USA, to the nation's largest tech companies battling over intellectual property, Americans -- and American companies -- are filing more lawsuits today than at any other time in history.

Richard O’Dwyer, the founder of search engine TVShack.net, struck a deal with the federal government Wednesday in order to avoid extradition to the United States.

Washington - U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) lobbied Reddit users Monday for their ideas about new legislation that will affect the domain seizure process.

Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom announced on Twitter early Monday morning the relocation of his new business venture to New Zealand.

Leesburg - A recent negotiating round of the Trans-Pacific Partnership took place in Leesburg, Virginia from September 6th through to September 15th.

Auckland - A new video released Wednesday reveals just how aggressive New Zealand police forces were when they raided Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom’s home in January.

London - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) warned numerous athletes Thursday against wearing unapproved headphone brands, including Beats by Dr. Dre.

Author J. K. Rowling has decided to withhold her upcoming book from a handful of foreign publishers over fears of piracy.

Auckland - Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom made international headlines in January when his websites were seized by the U.S. Department of Justice. Now, though, a few organizations are doing their best to ignore him.

After many protests in the streets of Europe, it looks like ACTA will not come into being. The Member of the EU Parliament responsible for monitoring its process says it should be rejected.

Attitudes towards copyright theft vary: some regard it as a victimless crime; some as no crime at all; others as something akin to serial murder. There is though a solution to the problem, if our governments are brave enough to take it.

San Francisco - Few legal associates knew that intellectual property attorney Richard Greenstone had an accomplished creative side. Over a hundred people showed up at a reception on November 3 showcasing his work in a solo exhibit.

Durban - A new Act regulating intellectual property from public funded research, with the objective of ensuring the research is protected and commercialised for the benefit of the people of South Africa, is expected to come into effect in June or July this year.

In a bid to turn the tables on internet pirates, warez distributors, and other intellectual property offenders, a new government post has been created.

Industrial espionage isn’t new, but it has the potential to become a major growth industry. Apple has just settled a lawsuit with Think Secret which was based on access to information about Apple products.