JURIST reports
The WTO sided with the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, ruling that US legislation that criminalizes online gambling is in violation of global trade law. In a 287-page report released Wednesday, the WTO concluded that the US inconsistently applied gaming law so as to prejudice foreign countries, in violation of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).
I guess I have to read it now. And GATS.
The latest twist in the Yahoo! case arrived today when the 9th Circuit overruled a district court decision which had held that Yahoo! could file a declaratory judgement action in the US to block domestic enforcement of a French court's judgment that Yahoo! had violated French law against Nazi propaganda. The 9th Circuit disagreed, holding that US courts lack jurisdiction against the French parties to this case, until and unless they subject themselves to this suit either by presence or by themselves suing to enforce the French judgment.
At first glance, the primary import of this pretty reasonable-looking decision, besides simplifying teaching the case, is to give the French parties more control of the forum if they ever seek to litigate against Yahoo! in the US.
VeriSign Sues ICANN. Get the information as it develops at ICANNWatch.org.
The nice people from Voyeur Dorm are in the news again. Last time the question was whether a virtual business ran afoul of a local zoning ordinance prohibiting adult businesses providing entertainment 'to the public' (the 11th Circuit said it was not, since the public was not allowed to attend in person). This time twelve former Voyeur Dorm employees are suing the site's owner,
alleging that the daily regimen of semi-nude sunbathing, housekeeping, swimming, showering and chat-room correspondence in the fishbowl of the World Wide Web went well beyond the limited hours they were told they would have to work.
They seek compensation for uncollected overtime pay.
The Tampa company has fired back with a lawsuit of its own, alleging two of the women violated a ''noncompete'' agreement by taking their talents, training and trade secrets to a rival business called Voyeur Cam Friends.
Although cavorting in a dorm may sound like easy labor, the plaintiffs say nitpicky rules often stipulated how they slept (with one leg dangling outside the sheets), brushed their teeth or watched TV (topless, or while painting one's toenails).
Maria Farrell, who works as a lobbyist for an undisclosed international membership organization based in Paris (OECD? ICC?) writes a great account of WSIS at Crooked Timber. Below I include a sampler, but it's worth clicking the link to get the whole thing.
Other interesting WSIS links include:
[Links snagged from all over, espeically Lextext]
Belarus KGB chief: Internet should be brought under control (10/12/2003):
KGB should exert control over Internet, because international terrorism and organized crime more and more often use WWW. “We are trying to provide all the possibilities, and legal – fist of all, in order to be able to control Internet, “- said Mr. Leonid Erin, chief of Belarusian KGB.
Mr. Erin emphasizes that he understands criticism of this position, especially in connection with human rights violation. But he insists that prior to that are state interests and secret services activities.
Note that although the underlying motives may differ substantially, one hopes, the official position as to what should happen is not that different from that of many governments, including several democracies.
Jotwell Blenderlaw