Faster takedowns sought for sites with pirated material
THE intellectual property office will work with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to effect faster blocking of websites carrying pirated material.
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), in a statement Wednesday, said it will partner with NTC to develop streamlined protocols for rapid site blocking.
IPOPHL has been asking Congress for power to issue take-down orders for the NTC to immediately block websites, foregoing a review process. Bills on the proposed amendments to the intellectual property code are being consolidated by the House of Representatives.
For now, IPOPHL can review piracy complaints from intellectual property rights holders and request the NTC to order internet service providers (ISPs) to take down the websites.
In a meeting with the agency, ISPs said collaboration between IPOPHL and NTC will prevent the shutdown of law-abiding websites.
IPOPHL Rights Enforcement Officer-in-Charge and Director Ann N. Edillon said that the agency makes sure to weigh the evidence of piracy before referring websites to the NTC for blocking.
“The duration of IPOPHL’s investigations will depend on the merits of the case and evidence submitted, but we always ensure a speedy and thoroughly validated decision,” she said.
IPOPHL recently partnered with the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) to develop site blocking measures for pirated content.
AVIA will provide information on piracy, conduct training on piracy matters, and make recommendations for IPOPHL’s online piracy monitoring and rolling site blocking. IPOPHL in turn will review piracy issues and will act on piracy reports and tips from AVIA. — Jenina P. Ibañez
