Ok, so I’ve finished my paper on typosquatting in the .eu domain. Well, let’s consider it a “working paper” as suggestions are still welcome (deadline for handing it in is only May 1st, go me!). Subjects covered are the phased registration at the launch of the TLD and the Alternative dispute procedure provided in EC Regulation 874/2004. Many thanks to Prof. Cedric Manara, fellow blogger and expert on domain name law for his initial comments.

The paper can be downloaded here. Coincidentially, I’ll have a job interview with one of the designated arbitrators for .eu domain name disputes soon, guess at the very least I’ll have something to talk about =)

On to working on my thesis now, anti-circumvention law, ‘ere we come!

I’ve managed to get to listen to this album, release due April 16th on Columbia Records. UK dj-producer Mark Ronson presents some excellent remixes, highly recommended! Highlights are:

- “Apply some pressure (ft. Paul Smith)”, an up-tempo remix of the critically acclaimed Maximo Park single.

- “Valerie (ft. Amy Winehouse)”, a song with a very motown feel

- “Stop me (ft.Danny Merriweather)”, brilliant remix of the song by The Smiths (iirc)

Commissioner for Information Society and Media Viviane Reding announced at CeBIT that the European Commission will be formulating a recommendation on data security and user privacy in radio frequence identification (RFID). For the sake of technology neutrality in legislation, I hope she won’t be tempted to go too far beyond guidelines on how to make the technology comply with existing regulation.

On the other hand, RFID and its applications (such as the E-id) may in a not so far away future bring us close to an Orwellian world. I look forward to the report of the stakeholder group the Commissioner will appoint.

So I’m writing this paper on typosquatting and the .eu TLD (more soon) and I wondered whether I could find any .com examples. I tried “sonu.com”, which seemed quite obvious to me as the u-key is right next to the y on my keyboard. I more or less expected to be redirected to sony.com. Guess I was wrong, a pay-per-click portal it is.

This sort of makes me wonder whether companies actually think these things through. Tell you one thing, if I held a trademark such as Sony I would make sure to register/obtain about every similar domain in a glimpse, at least within the popular TLDs.

On a completely irrelevant sidenote, apparently pony.com does not host lovable mini-horses.

Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis are developing a webtv platform, Joost. The guys behind the popular voip program Skype promise to bring:

“a new way of watching TV on the internet, which uses new and established technologies to provide the best of both the internet and TV worlds. Joost uses secure peer-to-peer technology to stream programmes to your computer. Unlike other TV and video-based web applications, it does not require users to download any files to their computers or browse through complicated websites.”

The developers also announce the striving for a real TV-like experience, including adverts. Whilst most internet users might not be waiting for ads in video streams, this might give Joost the edge over Youtube and Myspace, both struggling with the copyright industries. A platform generating enough revenue by ads might convince the mayors to start releasing premium content on the net. I for one look forward to this.

Much ado about the Phenix project here in Belgium. The Belgian department of Justice closed a deal with Unisys, international IT services provider to develop applications for an integrated case and file management in the Belgian judicial system. The project has so far not proven to be much of a success, and the Belgian goverment has recently cancelled the 22million euro deal because Unisys fails to attain the set out objectives. In response, Unisys has filed plaint for breach of contract.

Belgian minister of justice Laurette Onkelinckx loudly proclaims Unisys as the one to blame, but when hardly any progress has been made in 5 or 6 years I feel both parties will have demonstrated some inertia. I look forward to the outcome of this fiasco, and I wonder whether the case will be pleaded before a Belgian court. Oh sweet irony.

BBC reports a Turkish court has ordered access to Youtube be suspended in Turkey after prosecutors reported they found clips insulting the popular leader Ataturk on the platform. Insulting Ataturk apparently is a criminal offense in Turkey. I can’t imagine this little incident being wildly applauded by EU negotiators discussing accession to the Union.

Does the decision and its rigid implementation by Turk Telecom strike anyone else as being well out of proportion? I won’t be tempted to comment on the legislation (although the term medieval comes to mind) but the offending clips were removed by Youtube following user complaints. Where’s the point in blocking the entire site, if it’s crystalclear that the “flag as inappropriate”-option has done the trick?

EDIT: So they’ve come to their senses: Wired Link

The Commission has opened a phase II investigation into the Sony-BMG merger, which de facto has been implemented for a while now. IMPALA, the organisation representing independent music labels has announced it will continue to oppose the deal save for significant measures in place to counter the impact on competition. For more details I urge you to read the post on the Antitrust Hotch Potch.

On the other side of the Atlantic Warner seems to have somehow been able to reassure IMPALA that their envisaged acquisition of EMI will not drastically harm competition, as IMPALA has openly expressed to support the takeover following an agreement. No doubt, IMPALA has been able to negotiate a fair deal for the independents. The press release on their website enthousiastically announces that following a successfull acquisition Warner has committed to:

“(i) behavioural undertakings to ensure competition and broad licensing;

(ii) recorded music divestitures to reduce market share and enhance the competitive scale of the independent music sector; and

(iii) substantial assistance to build the capacity of the independent music sector through industry bodies and the recently announced Merlin initiative”

Firstly, the first two principles made me chuckle a bit. How the consolidation of two mayor players -save for divestitures of assets which were probably the incentive to merge in the first place- within an oligopolistic market would entice competition or reduce market shares completely escapes me.

Secondly, I dare question the integrity of IMPALA. The “enhancement of the competitive scale of the independents” and the “substantial assistance” part basicly suggests Warner has bought IMPALA’s support, or is it me being cynical?

In any case, I wonder where the future for independent labels lies. According to the press release, the independents are a vital component in the music market, promoting new artists. Then, won’t they become obsolete middlemen in an increasingly digitized industry where young artists promote their work via myspace or personal websites?

I suppose most have heard the single “Starz in their Eyes” on the radio by now and the album Overtones is about the sweetest thing I’ve heard this year. The sound is very much similar to The Streets, only a bit warmer and with a touch of funk. I personally feel Jack’s lyrics are sheer brilliant. Be sure to listen to the tracks you can stream on his Myspace page, I personally am very fond of the song “Writer’s block”.

http://www.myspace.com/justjackuk

Hasn’t everyone experienced the spontaneous impulse to start a blog at some point? This undeniably arrogant sentiment that someone out there is bored enough to go read your musings? Well, here’s my feeble attempt.

There’s no saying where this thing will end up, it is most likely doomed to fail from the beginning, but I’ll try to report a bit on IT, ECLaw, music and whatever else might stir my mind. Hf!