Copyright protection and P2P technologies

Last week, Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department took its first successful enforcement action against copyright piracy related to P2P file-sharing activities. One man was arrested on suspicion of illegally distributing copyright movies on the Internet through Bit Torrent (BT).

An effective, comprehensive and enforceable copyright protection mechanism is vitally important to the development of creative industry,like software development,and digital entertainment. Although the violation of infringing intellectual property rights in Cyberspace is quite serious, as a legislator from the IT sector, I don't support that specific law should be made for banning innovative technologies.

Whereas, in order to enhance copyright right protection, I advocate that the government should:
1) promote the right and proper use of information technologies to the public, such as digital rights or electronic publication services,
2) line up the IT sector and the copyright owners for making P2P technologies as one of the means for delivering legal copies, and
3) improve copyright law enforcement.

CK Sin

Article
More Digital Entertainment Coming Soon
iBulletin, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, January 05
One area where we fall short of the competition is in research and development. Hong Kong lacks the R&D culture that is essential for creating new and innovative products. Moreover, our adoption of technology applications in various industry sectors is relatively low, Digital Rights Management (DRM) development is still very limited, and financiers are also reluctant to back Hong Kong talent in this sector.

Policy Address 2005

After the Chief Executive delivered his Policy Address last week, the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr. John Tsang briefed the LegCo Panels on relevant policy initiatives on IT, Telecom, Innovation and Technology in the CE's Policy Address 2005.

• Policy initiatives - IT, Telecom, Broadcasting and Film services
• Policy initiatives - commerce, industry, business and services promotion, innovation and technology, intellectual property protection and inward investment promotion matters

Panels

Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting
4 February 2005

Tentative agenda

• Operation of Film Guarantee Fund
• Reduction of licence fee for mobile carrier licences
• 2004 Surveys on IT Usage and Penetration in the Household and Business Sector
• Progress Report on the Implementation of the 2004 Digital 21 Strategy and Action Plan for 2005

Motion
26-28 Jan 2005

• Motion of Thanks - Members will debate on the Policy Address 2005

Activities

Symposium on The Concern of Copyright Issues

• Organizer: Film, Television and Recording Industries' Copyright Concern Group
  
• Date: 23 January 2005
  
• Time: 3:00 -6:00pm
• Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, TST East, Kln.
• Registration / enquiry: Ms Mina Ho 23352296

Invitation for Entries

The 3rd Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Excellence

• Awards Submission Deadline :
  21 January 2005
• Enquiry:
  • Tel : 2788-5967
  • Email: multimedia@hkpc.org
  • URL: www.hkpc.org/hkdeea

News

Government proposes to reduce telecom licence fee
The Government proposes to reduce the annual licence fee for mobile stations under Public Radiocommunications Service (PRS) Licences, Mobile Carrier Licences, and Public Non-exclusive Telecommunications Service (PNETS) Licences from $20 to $18 per mobile station, with effect from May 1, 2005.
[Consultation paper]

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