A memorandum of understanding on preventing copyright-infringing websites from gaining advertising revenue was concluded by Taiwan Intellectual Property Alliance and Taipei Association of Advertising Agencies Sept. 4 in Taipei City.
Under the pact, TIPA will create and manage the Infringing Website List with the help of partners in the content creation industry. TAAA will then provide the information to association members so they can ensure ads are not featured on specified sites, according to the Intellectual Property Office under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
IPO Director-General Hong Shu-min said the provision of such a list to ad agencies—a policy adopted in countries and territories including Hong Kong, the U.K. and the U.S.—is an effective method of tackling online copyright violation as offending websites typically generate the majority of their income from advertising.
Seven Taiwan intellectual property organizations from the film, music, publishing and television production industries have agreed to work with TIPA in the identification of copyright-infringing websites, the office said.
Recording Industry Foundation in Taiwan CEO Robin Lee, who represented TIPA at the signing, said the alliance plans to update the list on a bimonthly basis. Direct collaboration between his association and TAAA will ensure efficient information management as well as rapid industry response to the emergence of new infringing websites, he added.
According to TAAA Chairman Evan Teng, the list will also strengthen clients’ brand integrity since the presence of advertisements on infringing websites can give the false impression of tacit support for online piracy.
Hong said that the pact marks a further strengthening of the nation’s copyright protection environment following the inking in February of a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. on intellectual property rights enforcement. Under that accord, the two sides agreed to collaborate on combating infringement through sharing information and best practices. (CPY-E)
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