Giovanni Maria Riccio is a Professor of Private Comparative Law at the University of Salerno, a Partner at Scorza Riccio & Partners, Rome, Italy, and an IP Osgoode Research Affiliate. He is also an Editor of MediaLaws: Law and Policy of the Media in a Comparative Perspective, www.medialaws.eu. The re-posting of this analysis is part of a cross-posting collaboration with MediaLaws.

The Court of Rome has issued an interesting decision, stating that a hosting provider is liable only if he has “not promptly complied with the order of the judicial or administrative authority aimed at preventing access to illegal information, or where he is aware of the illicit nature of the contents of a service he provides access to, and he has failed to inform the competent authority”.

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Posted in Copyright, European Union, Feature Post, Infringement, Internet, Internet Sharing, MediaLaws, Secondary (ISP) Liability
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Giovanni Maria Riccio is an IP Osgoode research affiliate, a professor of private comparative law at the University of Salerno, and a Partner at SR & Partners, Rome, Italy.  [Our apologies, this by-line has been updated to refer to Professor Riccio's current law firm affiliation.]

According to a recent post by a French journalist, ARCEP, the French authority on the regulation of electronic and postal communications, is considering whether Skype should be outlawed.

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Posted in Feature Post, Internet, Regulatory Policy, Technology, Telecommunications
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Giovanni Maria Riccio is an IP Osgoode research affiliate, a professor of private comparative law at the University of Salerno, and an associate at Mazzetti Rossi e Associate

On October 25, the Italian Data Protection Commissioner issued an interesting decision on Google Street View. Following a similar decision by the German Data Protection Authority, the Italian Authority – after having received several complaints by citizens – has imposed several obligations on the Big G.

First of all, Google cars will have to be clearly marked by means of visible stickers or signs to unambiguously signify that pictures are being taken by Street View. Italian law does not require a specific or written consent by people snapped in the streets or in other public places (such as stadiums, cafes, restaurants, etc.). This means that Google is not expected to collect explicit consents from every individual photographed by Google cars.

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Posted in Internet, IP, Privacy
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Giovanni Maria Riccio is Professor of Private Comparative Law at the University of Salerno and is also an associate in the Mazzetti Rossi e Associate law firm in Italy.

The Industrial Production Committee of the Italian Parliament has finally approved a draft bill which enforces use of a ‘made in Italy’ label on every product belonging to the textile, wear, footwear and leather industrial sectors. The principal purpose of the law is to guarantee the origin of the products, making clear which goods have been produced in Italy and which ones abroad.

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Posted in IP
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