New measures against copyright infringement

The Ministry of Culture is today submitting for consultation a proposal for amendments to the Copyright Act. “With this, we give copyright holders the tools they need to follow up on copyright infringements online, while at the same time safeguarding privacy,” says Minister of Culture Anniken Huitfeldt.

In the proposal, the ministry allows copyright holders to register IP addresses that have been used to infringe copyright, and that such registration does not require a separate license. At the same time, the registration must be reported to the Norwegian Data Protection Authority, which can also supervise that this is done in a responsible manner.

The rules for how rights holders can obtain information about who is behind an IP address that has been used for illegal file sharing are proposed to be simplified and clarified. Before the decision on identification is made by the court, the Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority will issue a statement on whether internet providers should be released from their duty of confidentiality.

While freedom of expression on the Internet is to be safeguarded, it is possible to block websites that openly and extensively make available content that violates copyright. The blocking will be imposed on internet providers, and could take place according to two alternative models in the consultation note. The first option is that the Norwegian Media Authority can make decisions on blocking, and that any complaints can be directed to a separate complaints board. The second option is that such competence is given to the courts through separate rules in the Copyright Act.