A View to a Kill: Montreal 'Body Parts' Murder Brings Array of Secondary Legal Issues

When suspected Montreal “body parts” killer, Luka Magnotta, was detained in Berlin on June 4 following an international manhunt, only one small piece of a complex legal web was resolved. In addition to the ongoing murder investigation, digital issues involving web hosting of explicit content and concerns about trademark denigration have been thrust to the […]

On Suspending SOPA and Piping PIPA Down

If the past month is any indication at all, 2012 is going to be an eventful year for intellectual property legislation, at least in the US and Canada. The controversy over the twin anti-digital piracy bills— the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA)— has gained much attention, particularly because […]

London MP Seeks To Quell Rioting Through Surveillance Of BlackBerry Messages

Michael Gilburt is a JD candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School. David Lammy, Member of Parliament for Tottenham, has called for the suspension and surveillance of the BlackBerry Messenger (“BBM”) service after evidence indicated that the popular communication platform helped facilitate the London riots.

A “Charter Rights First” Approach To The Intersection Of Freedom Of Expression And Copyright

Graham Reynolds is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and an IP Osgoode Research Affiliate. Recent legislative developments in Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) have raised concerns that expansions in copyright protection may negatively impact freedom of expression rights. In June 2010, the Canadian […]

Hague Court Allows Individual Artistic Expression

Jeffrey O'Brien is a JD candidate at the University of Alberta. Louis Vuitton may not have expected much of a counterattack when it sought to prevent Danish artist Nadia Plesner’s use of the fashion mogul’s recognizable handbags in her pictures, but the civil court at The Hague has recently ruled in her favour.

Philip Morris Lawsuit Alleges Australian Anti-Tobacco Legislation Violates Trade-mark Rights

Michael Gilburt is a JD candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School. On June 27, 2011, the tobacco giant Philip Morris issued a press release announcing its decision to commence legal action against Australia over proposed legislation which, they argue, illegally diminishes the value of their trade-marks.

UN Report Asserts Access To The Internet Is A Human Right

Michael Gilburt is a JD candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School. The United Nations has released a report that examines the relationship between Internet access and the right to free expression under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

A Continuation Of The Super-Injunction Saga: Is There An End In Sight?

Andrew Baker is an LLB/BCL candidate at McGill University Faculty of Law. Recent developments in the UK, including the notorious case of a famous footballer and a report from Lord Neuberger, have once again called into question the use of the super-injunction as a method of protecting privacy prompting responses from MPs, the judiciary, and […]

The Great Firewall Of China In American Court

Nora Sleeth is a JD candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School. Eight Americans are taking a novel approach to freedom of speech and have filed suit against Chinese search engine Baidu and the Chinese government.

Internet Filtering In Turkey: Censorship Gone Too Far?

Taylor Vanderhelm is a JD candidate at the University of Alberta. New internet filtering rules set to commence in Turkey as of August 2011 have gathered international attention and raised the ire of many Turkish citizens recently. Turkey is set to introduce four new internet content filtering options: family, children, domestic, or standard as part […]