Rajya Sabha approves copyright amendment bill

A bill providing for amendments to the copyright act to remove operational difficulties and address new issues concerning the digital world and internet was Thursday approved by the Rajya Sabha. The Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2010, also seeks to make its provisions in conformity with World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) Copyright Treaty and performances and phonograms treaty.
The bill to further amend Copyright Act, 1957, was moved by Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal. It seeks to provide exclusive rights and moral rights to performers in conformity with the WIPO’s performances and phonograms treaty.
It also seeks to provide definition of new terms such as “commercial rental”, “rights management information” and “visual recording” and to amend the existing definitions of the terms “author”, “cinematograph films”, “communication to the public,” “infringing copy”, “performer” and “work of joint authorship.”
An objective of the bill is to make provision for storing of copyrights material by electronic means in the context of digital technology and to provide for the liability of internet service providers.
Yesterday, Anonymous took down a few government websites to protest against this act.