For your information . . .

F. Leon,

Here is more on intellectual property.  This is the web address:

         http://www.policy.com/issuewk/0609/060997e.html
                Issue of the Week
                Information Policy


           INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

           "Copyright and the Digital, Global Marketplace"
           In this Roll Call article, Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT)
           describes recent national and international developments
           in the protection of intellectual property rights. He
           emphasizes the importance of the copyright industry as it
           contributed $238.6 billion to the U.S. economy in 1993. He
           advocates cryptography and the inclusion of copyright
           management information on the Internet. Senator Hatch
           also favors the application of the Copyright Act to digitally
           networked environments. Moreover, he discusses
           "Protocol," a multilateral treaty to secure copyright in the
           international digital scene.

           "Statement on the U.S.-Vietnam Copyright Treaty"
           In this April 16, 1997 press release, the International
           Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) expresses its support
           for the United States-Vietnam Copyrights Treaty. It
           emphasizes the importance of the treaty to U.S.-Vietnam
           trade relations. IIPA says that the agreement would benefit
           both countries. The treaty would strengthen U.S. trading,
           which has weakened for years due to piracy problems in
           Vietnam. These problems have cost the U.S. $50 million
           per year. In Vietnam, "one of the world's fastest growing
           markets," improved trade relations with the U.S. would
           stimulate further economic growth.

           "WIPO Copyright 'Reform' - Proposal Would Undermine
           Encryption, Fair Use Rights, Freedom of Information"
           In this November 1996 letter, the Electronic Frontier
           Foundation (EFF) describes its objections to the World
           Intellectual Property Organization Database Treaty. They
           claim that the Database Treaty undermines privacy and
           property rights in the United States. They also oppose
           reform proposals for the "Protection of Literary and
           Artistic Works." The EFF says such reform would prohibit
           browsing on the Internet, because the language of the
           proposal is defined too broadly.

           "An Open Letter to the Delegates of the WIPO
           Diplomatic Conference"
           The World Intellectual Property Organization Diplomatic
           Conference proposed three treaties in December 1996. The
           first addressed copyright laws affecting digital works; the
           second enacted protections for performers and producers
           involved with sound recording; and the third protected
           economically valuable databases. Several
           intellectual-property-rights groups object to the treaties.
           They claim that treaty provisions to deny reproduction
           rights and prohibit the development of new information
           technology are too broad. The advocacy groups also
           contend that the treaties undermine privacy rights.
           Moreover, they criticize the WIPO's broad definition of
           "database," a section of the third treaty which advocacy
           groups say requires further study.


              INTRODUCTION
                 TERMS
                 LEGISLATION
              INFORMATION ACCESS
              INFORMATION SECURITY/ENCRYPTION
              PROTECTION OF PERSONAL PRIVACY
              RESOURCES


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