WARNING TO ALL PIRATES: CHECK YOUR MAILBOX!

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1 WARNING TO ALL PIRATES: CHECK YOUR MAILBOX! JEAN-SÉBASTIEN RODRIGUEZ-PAQUETTE * LAWYERS, PATENT AND TRADE-MARK AGENTS Canadian Internet users who illegally download content are now even more likely to get a warning notice from their Internet Service Provider (ISP) The final provisions of the Copyright Modernization Act came into force in January 2015, thus making official an already widespread voluntary practice: the so-called notice and notice regime. In particular, Sections and of the Copyright Act now require ISPs to forward their users notices of claimed infringement on behalf of copyright owners whose works have allegedly been pirated. In the event of an illegal download of a copyrighted work, the copyright owner may alert the ISP of the infringement by providing them with the electronic location data (IP address) of the alleged infringer. The ISP is then required to send a notice to the user, informing them that content has been illegally downloaded to their IP address and, as the case may be, advising them to cease any activity that violates the Copyright Act. ISPs must now also keep records that allow the identification of alleged infringers, for six months after the Internet users receive the notice of claimed infringement. If legal proceedings are initiated by the copyright owner, the records must be kept for one year. It should be noted that Section also applies to online storage services, hosting providers and search engines, all of which must comply with the same requirements as ISPs. The Notice The notice sent by an ISP must identify the work or other subject-matter to which the alleged infringement relates. It must also state the interests or rights of the copyright owner regarding the infringed work, state the IP address from which the alleged infringement occurred, and specify the date and time of the infringement. CIPS, * From, a multidisciplinary firm of Lawyers, and Patent and Trade-mark Agents. Published in the Winter 2015 (Vol. 18, no. 3) Newsletter of the firm. Publication E.

2 2 Consequences of Receiving a Notice An alleged infringer who receives a notice of claimed infringement will have their name entered in a register, without any other short-term consequences. As such, the notices sent by ISPs are not equivalent to a cease-and-desist letter, and do not grant a copyright owner the right to claim damages of any kind. In order to claim compensation for damages, a copyright owner must initiate legal proceedings. In the past, similar actions have already been undertaken against Canadian Internet users who illegally downloaded the movies The Hurt Locker [ and Dallas Buyers Club [ It should be noted in passing that the ISPs that refuse to cooperate and transmit notices under the Copyright Act will be liable for damages of $5,000 to $10,000. Privacy Rights The notice and notice regime was designed to respect Canadian privacy laws. Since the onus is on copyright owners to identify cases of infringement, it is implied that ISPs do not need to monitor the activities of their users. Furthermore, by requiring that the notices be sent by the ISPs, this legislation ensures that Internet users preserve their right to anonymity with respect to copyright owners. The latter must therefore go to court to learn the identity of alleged infringers. This is consistent with the R. v. Spencer decision rendered by the Supreme Court in 2014, in which the court recognized the constitutional right to privacy with respect to anonymity in the context of Internet use. No Removal of Pirated Works The notice and notice regime is the Canadian response to infringement on the Internet. Unlike the U.S. notice and takedown approach, the Canadian system does not require ISPs to remove allegedly infringing content, or deny access to it. Impact of the New Provisions on Canadian Internet Users For Canadian Internet users, the impact of Sections and of the Copyright Act may not be significant, since most ISPs are already collaborating with copyright owners on a voluntary basis. Many users have already received such notices from their ISPs. Of course, the fact that this practice is now based in law may well result in a greater number of notices received by users.

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4 4 Pour des services de conseils dans le domaine de la propriété intellectuelle et des technologies de l'information et des communications (incluant les services d agents de brevets et de marques de commerce) de même que des services juridiques. ROBIC, un groupe d'avocats et d'agents de brevets et de marques de commerce voué depuis 1892 à la protection et à la valorisation de la propriété intellectuelle dans tous les domaines: brevets, dessins industriels et modèles utilitaires; marques de commerce, marques de certification et appellations d'origine; droits d'auteur, propriété littéraire et artistique, droits voisins et de l'artiste interprète; informatique, logiciels et circuits intégrés; biotechnologies, pharmaceutiques et obtentions végétales; secrets de commerce, know-how et concurrence; licences, franchises et transferts de technologies; commerce électronique, distribution et droit des affaires; marquage, publicité et étiquetage; poursuite, litige et arbitrage; vérification diligente et audit. ROBIC, a group of lawyers and of patent and trademark agents dedicated since 1892 to the protection and the valorization of all fields of intellectual property: patents, industrial designs and utility patents; trademarks, certification marks and indications of origin; copyright and entertainment law, artists and performers, neighbouring rights; computer, software and integrated circuits; biotechnologies, pharmaceuticals and plant breeders; trade secrets, knowhow, competition and anti-trust; licensing, franchising and technology transfers; e-commerce, distribution and business law; marketing, publicity and labelling; prosecution litigation and arbitration; due diligence. / MD COPYRIGHTER TM/MC IDEAS LIVE HERE / MD IL A TOUT DE MÊME FALLU L'INVENTER! / MD LA MAÎTRISE DES INTANGIBLES / MD LEGER ROBIC RICHARD / MD NOS FENÊTRES GRANDES OUVERTES SUR LE MONDE DES AFFAIRES / MD PATENTER / MD ou «R» / MD stylisé ROBIC / MD

5 5 Ou stylisé ROBIC ++++ / MD stylisé ou ROBIC + DROIT +AFFAIRES +SCIENCES +ARTS / MD stylisé ou ROBIC +LAW +BUSINESS +SCIENCE +ART / MD stylisé THE TRADEMARKER GROUP TM/MC TRADEMARKER TM/MC VOS IDÉES À LA PORTÉE DU MONDE, DES AFFAIRES À LA GRANDEUR DE LA PLANÈTE / MD YOUR BUSINESS IS THE WORLD OF IDEAS; OUR BUSINESS BRINGS YOUR IDEAS TO THE WORLD / MD Marques de commerce de ROBIC, S.E.N.C.R.L. pour ses services de conseils dans le domaine de la propriété intellectuelle et des technologies de l'information et des communications (incluant les services d agents de brevets et de marques de commerce) de même que ses services juridiques ************************************************************************************************* * For services pertaining to intellectual property, technology and communication law and related matters (including patent and trade-mark agency services) as well as legal services. ROBIC, un groupe d'avocats et d'agents de brevets et de marques de commerce voué depuis 1892 à la protection et à la valorisation de la propriété intellectuelle dans tous les domaines: brevets, dessins industriels et modèles utilitaires; marques de commerce, marques de certification et appellations d'origine; droits d'auteur, propriété littéraire et artistique, droits voisins et de l'artiste interprète; informatique, logiciels et circuits intégrés; biotechnologies, pharmaceutiques et obtentions végétales; secrets de commerce, know-how et concurrence; licences, franchises et transferts de technologies; commerce électronique, distribution et droit des affaires; marquage, publicité et étiquetage; poursuite, litige et arbitrage; vérification diligente et audit. ROBIC,

6 6 a group of lawyers and of patent and trademark agents dedicated since 1892 to the protection and the valorization of all fields of intellectual property: patents, industrial designs and utility patents; trademarks, certification marks and indications of origin; copyright and entertainment law, artists and performers, neighbouring rights; computer, software and integrated circuits; biotechnologies, pharmaceuticals and plant breeders; trade secrets, knowhow, competition and anti-trust; licensing, franchising and technology transfers; e-commerce, distribution and business law; marketing, publicity and labelling; prosecution litigation and arbitration; due diligence. / MD COPYRIGHTER TM/MC IDEAS LIVE HERE / MD IL A TOUT DE MÊME FALLU L'INVENTER! / MD LA MAÎTRISE DES INTANGIBLES / MD LEGER ROBIC RICHARD / MD NOS FENÊTRES GRANDES OUVERTES SUR LE MONDE DES AFFAIRES / MD PATENTER / MD or stylizedr / MD ROBIC / MD or stylized ROBIC ++++ / MD or stylized ROBIC + DROIT +AFFAIRES +SCIENCES +ARTS / MD or stylized ROBIC +LAW +BUSINESS +SCIENCE +ART / MD THE TRADEMARKER GROUP TM/MC TRADEMARKER TM/MC VOS IDÉES À LA PORTÉE DU MONDE, DES AFFAIRES À LA GRANDEUR DE LA PLANÈTE / MD

7 7 YOUR BUSINESS IS THE WORLD OF IDEAS; OUR BUSINESS BRINGS YOUR IDEAS TO THE WORLD / MD Trade-marks of for its services pertaining to intellectual property, technology and communication law and related matters (including patent and trade-mark agency services) as well as legal services