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jmichaelhudsondotnet [jmichaelhudson.net] writes:

https://reclaimthenet.org/china-lead-un-wipo-copyright-domains/ [reclaimthenet.org]
https://archive.is/txBbG [archive.is]

FTA: "Earlier this month, China nominated a candidate to become the next leader of the United Nations’ (UN) World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). WIPO administrates the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) – a policy that allows copyright holders to seize web domains and has been criticized for its excessive clampdowns against domain holders.

Concerns over China exporting its censorship through US companies have been on the rise over the last few months. If China’s candidate is elected as the head of WIPO, it would give China greater influence over the UDPR and the associated confiscation of domains under this policy.

Critics of UDPR include digital rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) which describes it as a policy that has “been used to clamp down on legitimate parody and criticism in ways that domestic trademark law would not allow.”"

As someone on the frontline of this, considering my wide ranging collection of memes under (hopefully) fair use protections that are far from clearly defined, and someone with professional experience in the domain industry, I am going to keep a close eye on this.

This looks to me like a very bad kind of globalization. Discuss.

Original Submission