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Businesses Should Re-evaluate Approach to Privacy with Passage of Digital Privacy Act

Businesses Should Re-evaluate Approach to Privacy with Passage of Digital Privacy Act

The re-posting of this article is part of a cross-posting agreement with CyberLex. The Digital Privacy Act (Bill S-4) passed into law yesterday, introducing (among other things) significant fines and mandatory breach notification (not yet in force) into the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). Organizations which handle personal information in the course […]

A Handcrafted Problem: Etsy's share price woes and IP infringement

A Handcrafted Problem: Etsy's share price woes and IP infringement

Etsy describes itself as a "marketplace where people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods." For a site based on creativity and uniqueness, they have a surprisingly long history of high profile disputes between Etsy sellers and intellectual property owners. Among a myriad of other incidents, sellers have reportedly […]

Reminder: Canada’s IP Writing Challenge July 1st Deadline!

Reminder: Canada’s IP Writing Challenge July 1st Deadline!

The deadline to submit an entry for our 7th annual Canada's IP Writing Challenge is fast approaching! The winner from each category will receive a prize of $1000 (CAD), publication on the IP Osgoode website, and consideration for publication in the Canadian Intellectual Property Review and/or the Intellectual Property Journal.  The deadline to submit is […]

New Portraits: May Richard Prince Fair(ly) Use Your Picture?

New Portraits: May Richard Prince Fair(ly) Use Your Picture?

The prince of appropriation strikes again! Visual artist Richard Prince caused a major uproar in the art world with his latest exhibition, New Portraits. The series of photographs, which features enlarged screenshots of Instagram posts made by different users, has been the object of controversy after it was reportedly found that Prince never asked for […]

A Tidal Shift for the Digital Economy?

A Tidal Shift for the Digital Economy?

A decade and a half since music industry titans like the rock group Metallica launched legal action to shut down the largest (unauthorized) distributor of recorded content, the ways that fans and audiophiles are able to access music and other cultural resources appear, once again, to be in flux. 2015 has already seen the headline […]

Announcing the Winners of the Gowlings Best Blog in IP Law and Technology Prize

Announcing the Winners of the Gowlings Best Blog in IP Law and Technology Prize

IP Osgoode would like to congratulate the winners of the Gowlings Best Blog in IP Law and Technology Prize for 2014-2015.  Four prizes in total are awarded each year to Osgoode students and the winning blog posts are featured in the IPilogue. Recipients also receive a $500 award, are announced at Convocation and receive a […]

Has the Copyright Board Taken a Substantial Position on Substantial Parts?

Has the Copyright Board Taken a Substantial Position on Substantial Parts?

What does it mean to be “substantial”? No, this is not the kind of question that requires a long reflective look in the mirror (unless that’s your thing...I’m more of the “stare into a sunset pensively” type), but it is the kind of question the Copyright Board recently tried to answer in its May 23rd decision: Access […]

Reminder: Canada's IP Writing Challenge July 1st Deadline!

Reminder: Canada's IP Writing Challenge July 1st Deadline!

The deadline to submit an entry for our 7th annual Canada's IP Writing Challenge is just under two weeks away. The winner from each category will receive a prize of $1000 (CAD), publication on the IP Osgoode website, and consideration for publication in the Canadian Intellectual Property Review and/or the Intellectual Property Journal.  The deadline […]

Ottawa Finally Fills Position Copyright Board Chair: Justice Robert A. Blair

Ottawa Finally Fills Position Copyright Board Chair: Justice Robert A. Blair

The times they are a hopefully changing for the Copyright Board of Canada. Over a year ago, Justice William Vancise stepped down after serving his maximum two terms as chair.  On June 3rd, the Board issued a press release stating that Industry Minister James Moore had finally announced the appointment of Justice Robert A. Blair as Chair, effective immediately. […]

Ain't No Laurent Without Some Irony: Hedi Slimane and the Rise of Parody Fashion

Ain't No Laurent Without Some Irony: Hedi Slimane and the Rise of Parody Fashion

Some may say that there is no Laurent without Yves, but Hedi Slimane is definitely not one of them. Luxury Goods International (LGI), the owner of Saint Laurent Paris’ trademarks, is suing Jeanine Heller, founder of What About Yves, for trademark infringement, trademark dilution, false designation of origin and unfair competition. Her parody t-shirts had […]