Will Copyright Law Modification Break Down Recording Industry?

—digest of Sohu Weibo interview on Exposure Draft of Copyright Law

On the invitation from the biggest web portal sohu.com, Mr. You Yunting was interviewed on sohu’s microblog for the Copyright Law exposure draft (the “Draft”), and today’s essay is the digest of the interview. And for your convenience in reading, we’ve made a few alterations to the questions and our answers.

1. Q: Is the modification of this time kind of progress or retrogress?

A: From the legislature technology, the modification is a progress while it remains problems.

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Better or Worse? Comments on the Exposure Draft of Copyright Law

Mr. You Yunting was interviewed by Tecent weibo for his comments on the exposure draft of the Copyright Law (the “Draft”), and today’s essay is the digest of the interview. And for your convenience in reading, we’ve made a few alterations to the questions and our answers.

First, we would like to say that the Draft is more scientific than the original one on general, while it remains two main problems: 1) it needs more respect on the right of music writers and recording companies; 2) Although the collective management organization has more power with the Draft, it’s unclear system of interests distribution and incomplete operation system, as well as the suspicious relation with the Copyright Office are all arousing the public arguments.

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Different Local Regulations on Compensations and the Effect of Non-competition Agreement

The system of noncompetition is regulated in China Labor Contract Law, “If a Employee has a confidentiality obligation, the Employer may agree with the Employee on competition restriction provisions in the employment contract or confidentiality agreement, and stipulate that the Employer shall pay financial compensation to the Employee on a monthly basis during the term of the competition restriction after the termination or ending of the employment contract.” By the article, a financial compensation is demanded for the conclusion of non-competition agreement, while no legal regulation on the effect of such articles when no compensation is paid. Therefore, on the issue, the adjudication or decision made by local courts or labor arbitration committee in China varies much, and today’s post is our analysis on it.

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Introduction to 3rd Revision Draft of China Copyright Law

On the beginning of April 2012, the National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC) released the exposure draft for revision of China Copyright Law (the “Draft”) accompanied with the interpretations on the draft. Today, we are going to introduce you the revision. (the image is the cover of China Copyright Law)

 (I) the works

(1) The original “cinematographic works” is revised to the “audiovisual works”, and the original “video recording” is deleted which will be protected as the audiovisual works;

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How Chinese Companies Deal with Warning Letters from Adobe?

Adobe lawyer’s letter, Photoshop piracy, genuine software, original software, China pirated software, China software lawyer, venture company genuine trend, Microsoft, Autodesk, Adobe, warning letter against piracy, lawyer’s letter for warning against piracy, evidence liability of pirated software using, windows fire wall, modify hosts file piracy, shield Adobe server, pirated information using, steal client’s piracy, self remedy evidence collection, administrative complaint, judicial preservation, seal up piracy, evidence preservation application, genuine trend of government

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To Stem the Passing Off on Michael Jordan

As reported, Michael Jordan, the basketball legend, made an announcement through PR Newswire that he’s formally suing Chinese sportswear maker Qiaodan Sports (the “Qiaodan Company”) for using without authorization. To Jordan’s words, what makes him more disappointed is his children’s names are also infringed by the company, and he also added the lawsuit is not about money.

Actually “Qiaodan”, the transliteration in Chinese of Jordan, accompanied with the logo of a basketball man have long been used by the Chinese sportswear maker, and that could not be newly known to Jordan in afraid. However, the lawsuit is filed when Qiaodan Company is preparing its listing; therefore “it’s not about money” might more accurately to be “it’s not ALL about money”.

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Latest News of iPad Battle: Shenzhen Court Refused Bankruptcy Application against Shenzhen Proview

According to the news from China Daily (note: the link is in Chinese), there’s new progress in the iPad battle between Apple and Proview, and just like our past judgement, for the value of iPad trademark is impossible to estimate, the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court recently adjudicated the refusal on Taiwan Fubon Insurance’ s application on the bankruptcy liquidation of Shenzhen Proview.

Taiwan Fubon Insurance applied the bankruptcy liquidation to the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court on Shenzhen Proview who failed to clear the debt due and being insolvency. After the investigation, the court takes Shenzhen Proview as the only legal owner of iPad trademark for the mark is still registered under the name of Shenzhen Proview. Currently, Shenzhen Proview’s intangible asset are remained un-estimated with its value not determined, and thus it could not decide whether Shenzhen Proview is trapped in insolvency and enable to pay its debt; therefore the court adjudicated the refusal of Taiwan Fubon Insurance.

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China Ranked 7th International Trademark Application

On March 13th, from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) official website, in 2011, China submitted 2149 Madrid international trademark registration system application to WIPO, accounting for 5.1% of the total, and ranked seventh in the world with one position advanced by 2010. In addition, China remained the most designated country for trademark protection.

The top three applicants are EURO, Germany, U.S.A., and China took the post of the seventh with the application of 2149. For the annual development rate, Russia ranks first and China at the place of fourth.

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Why Apple Store’s Design Patent Application is Not Necessary? II

The post will be published on our website for two days, and today is the second half of it. (the image is the picture of Apple Store in Lujiazui from the www.apple.com.cn)

III. The legal risk in the lawsuit filed against design infringement

Furthermore, once Apple initiate the lawsuit basing on the design, it may be trapped in the patent validity and serial lawsuits, and it’s also a common challenge of patent lawsuits in China.

1. The poor stability of design patent

Despite the design patent is granted by the administration after approval, the organ will not examine the novelty and creativity of the patent applied for it being instable at all. For example, in the design dispute between SECO and HONDA (note: the link is in Chinese), when HONDA sued against SECO for the claimed plagiarism of SECO’s S-RV to its CR-V, the defendant filed the application of patent validity, and present the evidence including the previous design patent applied by HONDA.

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Why Apple Store’s Design Patent Application is Not Necessary? I

The post will be published on our website for two days, and today is the first half of it. (the image is the picture of Apple Store in Lujiazui from the www.apple.com.cn)

By the report of Shanghai Daily, Apple Inc filed an application to the United State Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the appearance design of its store in Lujiazui, Pudong New Area. In consideration of the fake Apple Store in Kuning, Yunan Province in south and west China, the application made this time may be the international application, and will enter into China soon to stem the flooding knock off stores. More interesting is that the journalist of the Daily interviewed our attorneys before the report, and we reserved our opinion on the application. To complete our comments on it, here’s our analysis on the issue:

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Legal Confusions and Difficulties of Industry and Commerce Department in Trade Secret Investigation

The power to administrative punishment on trade secret is enforced by State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC) and local administrations, and in a recent essay (note: the link is in Chinese) by Shanghai Industry and Commerce Administration on the trade secret investigation and evidence collection, the difficulties and confusion faced by the organ are highlighted. The post today is the digest and our comments hereby made:

 (I) The technology information examination and reverse problem

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