Over the last decade, patent trolls have become a prominent intellectual property (IP) issue. Patent trolls are companies that exploit IP as tools for litigation instead of innovation, using purchased patents to threaten other companies to enter into a licensing deal or face a patent infringement lawsuit. Companies targeted by patent trolls can face huge […]
The 17th Annual Canadian Telecom Summit (CTS2018) must have set the “innovation skeptic's" expectations high by centering on the fifth-generation (5G) network theme and related developments. For example, the “Network Innovation: Transforming networks & applications for nexgen services” panel’s discussion touched on automation, network virtualization, data monetization, and Internet of Things (IoT) commercialization. However, despite the […]
On June 4 to 6, 2018, the 2018 Canadian Telecom Summit (“CTS 2018”) featured discussions on the rise of a new protagonist in the information domain — 5G wireless networks. The event provided scope for continuing the conversation on how to support 5G deployment and what the new technology will mean to entrepreneurs, innovators, the […]
For the third year in a row, Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, was a keynote speaker at the Canadian Telecom Summit (“CTS”). In his closing keynote for CTS 2018, he reiterated the importance of increasing the quality and coverage of innovative technologies at affordable prices for Canadians. He then updated the […]
Digital audio sampling—a music production technique whereby sound-clips are extracted from songs and incorporated into new tracks via computer software—is a staple of hip-hop music. With the increased accessibility of Canadian music via apps like Spotify, coupled with the growing Canadian hip-hop music scene, there is great potential for the usage of Canadian musical samples […]
There’s no denying that the restaurant business is a primary gateway to the workforce for many, with well over 1.2 million Canadians being employed through this $80 billion industry. While the quality of a restaurant’s food is integral to the restaurant’s financial success, the strategic use of intellectual property (IP), particularly trademarks, can give a […]
On Friday, May 19th, Hasbro announced that the characteristic scent of their well-known Play-Doh product has been officially recognized by the United States Patent and Trademark Office as a registered trademark of the brand. This presents a major step forward in the evolution of “scent trademarks”, with Hasbro being by far the largest corporation to […]
In May 2014, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) upheld the so-called “right to be forgotten” in a privacy test case brought forward by a Spanish lawyer against Google. In its ruling, the court granted EU citizens the right to ask search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Bing, to remove links […]
On May 13, 2014, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued a landmark decision that allows EU citizens the “right to be forgotten” – basically, the right to withdraw consent over the processing of an individual’s personal information. Under that ruling, individuals have the right to ask Google and other search engines […]
On May 3rd the Law Commission of Ontario (LCO) hosted an international conference examining how defamation law should be reformed in light of “far-reaching developments in law, technology, and social values.” The first panel of the conference, Rethinking Defamation Law: The Setting for Reform, provided an overview of defamation law in Canada and some factors […]