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The English High Court recently handed down the first judgment relating to the circumvention of copyright protection. The case invoked the 2003 copyright law transposing the EC Copyright Directive (2001/29/EC) into UK law (see IRIS 2004-1: 13). The case was brought by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe against 6 defendants. At issue was the legality of people dealing in modified Sony PlayStation2 chips. Buyers were enabled to play computer games imported from other regions (e.g., USA and/or Asia) on hardware encoded for Europe (which utilises the PAL standard). The chips (known as "Messiah 2 mod...

The Office of Communications (Ofcom) is required by the Communications Act 2003 to promote the development of effective forms of co- and self- regulation (for the Act see IRIS 2003-8: 10). After consultation, Ofcom has now published its approach and the criteria that will be used for promoting co- and self- regulation. The criteria in fact mainly cover co-regulation rather than self-regulation where it is noted that there is an absence of regulatory oversight; examples given of co-regulation are the regulation of telecommunications premium-rate services, arrangements for dispute resolution and...

The minister for Culture, Media and Sport commissioned a review of BBC online services, originally authorised in 1988, to contribute to the current review of the BBC's Royal Charter; it was carried out by Philip Graf, former chief executive of the newspaper publishers group Trinity Mirror. The report considered the services in considerable detail and found that BBC Online delivers high quality material in an effective and user-friendly manner. However, some sites such as fantasy football, games sites and "what's on" listings are not sufficiently distinct from commercial alternatives or are inadequately...

The UK's Communications Act 2003 (Sections 303, 305) requires the Office of Communications (Ofcom) to "to draw up, and from time to time to review and revise, a code giving guidance" as to how broadcasters should ensure the "understanding and enjoyment" of programmes by persons who are deaf or hard of hearing; blind or partially-sighted; and persons with a dual sensory impairment (i.e. both). Such an undertaking will be fulfilled by the provision of adequate "Television Access Services". Examples of such services are: subtitling, signing and audio description. Additionally, under Section 310...

In October 2003, the Office of Communications (OFCOM) initiated a consultation regarding "contracting out its broadcast advertising regulatory functions to a self-regulator in a co-regulatory partnership..." The proposal was that a new body ­ under the "banner" of the existing Advertising Standards Authority ­ be established to draw up, review and enforce an advertising content code for broadcast television and radio. The code-setting body would be the Broadcasting Committee of Advertising Practice and the enforcement body would be the Advertising Standards Authority (Broadcasting). OFCOM would...