Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Media and Sport Code

On August 2, 2007 the Ministry of Communications has approved a self-regulation code. The code was also endorsed by all radio and television publishers associations and by Europa tv, Prima tv, Rai, Rti, Sky, Telecom Italia Media, Ordine dei giornalisti and Federazione italiana editori di giornali. By this Code all sport information leading actors, express their strong opposition to violence in stadium, well aware that means of mass communications, from usual to new media, could be useful to condemn publicly violence in all sport events, particularly in soccer. The Code imposes instructions just in radio and television broadcastings hosting where, in case of infringments, the entertainer immediately detaches the tv broadcasting and provider from the event while resorting to required means, i.e. break of programme, postponement of a link till the dismissal of the responsible, to bring the programme back in fairness. In case of recorded programmes, tv broadcasting and providers are committed to check them proviously, hampering the broadcasting of events which infringes the ‘Media and Sport Code’.
Posted by Giovanni Maria Riccio in 17:50:49 | Permalink | No Comments »

Bill concerning minors protection in films and videogames

On July 23, the Council of Ministers has approved a bill concerning minors protection in films and videogames. As for the film sector, the goal is the abolition of the censorship, to be replaced by a operators responsibility system and control of the establishment to a concrete minors safeguard. The bill is based on a self-regulation approach. Article 2 of the bill states that in the Ministry of Cultural Assets and Activities, will be set up the ’Commission for Films Classification and Minors Protection‘, which will have the power to forbid the showing of a film, if it is immoral and assess the film adequacy for minors if 14 years or minors of 18 years, taking into consideration the particular sensitivity of the age of development and its moral safeguard exigencies.

The second part of the bill aims to protect minors during the use of videogames. According to article 7 of the bill, Producers, importers and distributors, and associations thereof, shall classify video games, off-line or on-line, on the basis of the recognised European self-regulatory system (following the system, called PEGI, Pan Eurpopean Game Information). Videogames will be classified on the basis of content and psychic and emotional suitability for the age of the players. Classification criteria shall take into account themes, language, degree of violence, sexual or pornographic images, use of psychotropic substances, and any discriminatory messages concerning race, religion, sex, sexual tendencies, nationality, disability, or any other element harmful to the dignity of the person. Producers, importers and distributors shall clearly and unequivocally indicate the rating given to the videogame in whatever manner or means the copies are advertised, distributed or marketed.

Posted by Giovanni Maria Riccio in 17:50:19 | Permalink | No Comments »

Italy - Draft Decrees on Peer-to-Peer

1) The member of the Senate Mr. Bulgarelli submitted a bill concerning fair use. The bill is based on three main aspects. First of all the bill aims the abolition of the crime committed via peer-to-peer. Second, Mr. Bulgarelli has proposed the modification of article 171-bis, letter a of copyright law. According to the bill it should be necessary in any case a financial benefit, requiring commercial or business purposes, for the ones who commit a crime related to software and computer programs. In fact, the present legislation on copyright does not require this specific purpose, and the crime can be committed also with a mere moral benefit. Furthermore, the bill proposes that private copy rule could cover also digital supports and not exclusively analogical supports.


2) On July 27, 2007 three deputies submitted a bill to the Camera dei Deputati (House of Commons), which aims to modify Italian copyright law. The principal scope of this bill is to decriminalize peer-to-peer. According to this bill, SIAE (Italian Authors and Publisher’s Association) should have the exclusive right to authorize any natural person who wants to share peer-to-peer systems for personal purposes and without a financial benefit. This authorization (a sort of collective licence) should be provided by a specific agreement between SIAE and consumers associations. This provision should be contained in article 180-ter Copyright Law.

Posted by Giovanni Maria Riccio in 17:48:57 | Permalink | No Comments »

Italy - Draft Decrees

1) The member of the Senate Mr. Bulgarelli submitted a bill concerning fair use. The bill is based on three main aspects. First of all the bill aims the abolition of the crime committed via peer-to-peer. Second, Mr. Bulgarelli has proposed the modification of article 171-bis, letter a of copyright law. According to the bill it should be necessary in any case a financial benefit, requiring commercial or business purposes, for the ones who commit a crime related to software and computer programs. In fact, the present legislation on copyright does not require this specific purpose, and the crime can be committed also with a mere moral benefit. Furthermore, the bill proposes that private copy rule could cover also digital supports and not exclusively analogical supports.


2) On July 27, 2007 three deputies submitted a bill to the Camera dei Deputati (House of Commons), which aims to modify Italian copyright law. The principal scope of this bill is to decriminalize peer-to-peer. According to this bill, SIAE (Italian Authors and Publisher’s Association) should have the exclusive right to authorize any natural person who wants to share peer-to-peer systems for personal purposes and without a financial benefit. This authorization (a sort of collective licence) should be provided by a specific agreement between SIAE and consumers associations. This provision should be contained in article 180-ter Copyright Law.

Posted by Giovanni Maria Riccio in 17:48:41 | Permalink | No Comments »

Dialogue Forum on Internet Rights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFAPH2lKXk0 (Prof. Rodotà)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gzyNRIOmdU (Mr. S. Phipps)

and many others available on YouTube.

Posted by Giovanni Maria Riccio in 16:07:06 | Permalink | No Comments »