Shenzhen to Release Internet Software IPR Protection Measures
Shanghai Morning Post, 10/14/08
Shenzhen's Intellectual Property Office has completed a draft copy of measures to protect the intellectual property rights of Internet software. The draft is open for public comment until the 25th of this month.
The draft forbids the production, distribution or dissemination of malicious software as well as the theft of software licenses, telecom or Internet account numbers and other personal and private information. Offenders will be fined between RMB 30,000 and RMB 50,000. In addition, network service providers must cooperate with law enforcement departments to provide information such as the names, contact information, and network addresses of suspected infringers.
The measures further stipulate that the copyright holder is entitled to copyright protection on software, and may adopt software encryption communication protocols, software installation licenses, software registration, digital watermarks and other protective functions. Those who generate or distribute unauthorized software licenses, destroy or replicate software communication protocols, destroy digital watermarks, or bypass or damage anti-piracy and anti-copying technology or equipment will be fined between RMB 30,000 and RMB 70,000.
Keywords: regulation copyright intellectual property Internet IPR law piracy Shenzhen software penalty