A draft bill to tighten intellectual property protection on Thursday was passed to the Legislative Yuan for final approval after passing a Cabinet review.
The bill, which features a total of 93 amendments and 17 new articles to the Copyright Act (著作權法), is a huge undertaking seven years in the making.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) reviewed copyright regulations in different nations to present a legal framework suitable for the digital age, a statement said.
Changing up to 80 percent of the act, the bill seeks to prevent intellectual property infringement, while safeguarding the rights of copyright holders and benefiting society as a whole, it said.
IPO Director-General Hong Shu-min (洪淑敏) said the live broadcasting of a sports game at a bar would need to be authorized by whoever holds the rights to the broadcast under the amended act.
This is because the broadcast directly boosts the revenue-earning ability of the bar, she said, adding that TV shows or music played in a beauty salon or restaurant would not fall under the act because they are not central to the business.
In redefining the types of activities that require permission to show or play copyrighted material, the bill essentially protects the commercial interests of the copyright holder, Hong said.
Those who contravene the provisions of the act could face up to three years in prison and a fine of up to NT$750,000, she said.
The IPO said it would push for the bill’s passage by the Legislative Yuan to enhance the efficacy of copyright law in the digital age.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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