Media

The Future of Digital Copyright Protection in Hong Kong: An Analysis of the Latest Government Proposals

27 Jun 2008

Date:      July 2, 2008 (Wednesday)
Time:     5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Venue:    Foundation Chamber, G/F, Eliot Hall, The University of Hong Kng
Language: English

Should the streaming of copyrighted videos and music online be considered a crime? In April 2008, the HKSAR government released its latest proposals on digital copyright reform, which included the recommendation that those who make copyrighted music and movies available on the Internet through streaming technology should face criminal sanctions. This proposal and others to strengthen copyright protection in the digital environment are part of the government's second consultation exercise, which ends August 31. The government expects to firm up a legislative package by late 2008 or early 2009.

What are the other proposals for copyright reform? Should Hong Kong introduce in its copyright laws a special exception for the conversion of copyright works from one technological medium to another? What unintended consequences might these new laws create? This panel brings together experts to share their thoughts on some of these important questions.

Speakers:

Professor Peter K. Yu is a leading expert in international intellectual property and communications law. He is the director of the Intellectual Property Law Center at Drake University Law School in the United States. Before joining Drake University, he founded the nationally-renowned Intellectual Property & Communications Law Program at Michigan State University, at which he held faculty appointments in law, communication arts and sciences, and Asian studies. He is also a Wenlan Scholar Chair Professor at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Wuhan, China, and serves as Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law. 

Mr Charles Mok is the Chairman of Internet Society Hong Kong, the largest association of Internet professionals and users in the world. A renowned pioneer in the Internet and information technology industry in Hong Kong, he has more than 20 years of experience in technology development and management in Silicon Valley and Hong Kong. Mr Mok is also Executive Director of Darizi Limited, the leading wedding community and social networking platform for China, and was co-founder of HKNet, one of Hong Kong's earliest Internet service providers.

Enquiries: Andrew Goldberg (Tel: 2219 4436 / E-mail: agoldstar@gmail.com ) or Kylie Chan (Tel: 2219 4416 / Email: kyliec@hku.hk ) at the Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong, G24 Eliot Hall, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, Fax: 2858 8736