Merging competition authorities and sector regulators; a good idea?

Chillin'Competition: "two incipient trends [emerge] whereby multiple specific/sector regulators are either (a) folded into one sole multi-market regulator (which allegedly takes advantage of economies of scale, minimizes the risk of regulatory capture and ensures a consistent approach to the regulation of network industries; this is the case of the German Bundesnetz; or (b) merged with the competition authority. To my knowledge, the only example of the latter “trend” has been that of the NMa in the Netherlands.... blurring the frontiers between the applicable standards, attitudes and instruments used under competition law (a sanctioning system with criminal features) and those characterizing sector regulation risks affecting the way competition law is enforced, and could result in a lowering of standards." 'via Blog this'

SCL Media Group Seminar Report: Intermediary Liability

SCL Media Group Seminar Report: Intermediary Liability: "In Europe, we wait the decision of the CJEU on the reference from the Austrian Court in Kino.to on questions relating to fairness and proportionality of web blocking, and the important task of balancing the fundamental rights of the various stakeholders in the process (which Arnold J had no difficulty with in Newzbin)." 'via Blog this'

Babar Ahmad Extradition Reaction: 'RIP British Justice'

Babar Ahmad Extradition Reaction: 'RIP British Justice': " "Allowing the US to expand its extraterritorial reach by claiming jurisdiction over internet servers is undermining British and international justice.
"Servers are commonly cloud-based - which is where the UK's judicial and government leaders have their heads today.
"British extradition law urgently needs updating to assert jurisdiction over the territory in which cyber crime is physically committed.
"No matter how much the public and their representative MPs protest at today's outrage, no British court will ever try these two suspects.
"RIP British justice.""
'via Blog this'

Foreign Secretary speech at the Budapest Conference on Cyberspace

Foreign Secretary speech at the Budapest Conference on Cyberspace: " The internet has been an unprecedented engine for growth, for social progress and for innovation, across the globe and in all areas of human endeavour.
But there is a darker side to it, and in the United Kingdom we believe it is time to shine a strong light on those shadows.
We are calling for a new international consensus on rules of the road to guide future behaviour in cyberspace, and to combat the worst abuses of it.
We are not calling for a new Treaty between governments which would be cumbersome to agree, hard to enforce and too narrow in its focus. " 'via Blog this'

YouTube Improves Content ID, Introduces New Appeals Process

YouTube Improves Content ID, Introduces New Appeals Process: "YouTube originally developed Content ID to protect content creators from copyright infringement (and to protect itself from lawsuits), but as many frustrated users know, videos have been mistakenly targeted as infringing content in the past. To help resolve some of these mistakes, YouTube is now introducing an appeals process, which lets users take copyright disputes further, in the event that they are rejected by content owners. As YouTube explains, now when a user “files an appeal, a content owner has two options: release the claim or file a formal DMCA notification.”" 'via Blog this'