Protecting
Digital Rights
in Broadcasting
The WIPO Broadcasting Treaty threatens to restrict how you access, share, and use content online. We believe the internet should remain free and open for everyone.
What is WIPO?
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for developing international intellectual property policy. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, WIPO sets the global rules that govern patents, copyrights, trademarks, and related rights.
With 193 member states, WIPO's decisions affect billions of people worldwide. The organization has been negotiating a Broadcasting Treaty for over two decades, a treaty that could fundamentally reshape how content is controlled and accessed on the internet.
While WIPO's stated goal is to promote innovation and creativity through intellectual property protections, critics argue that some proposals, particularly the Broadcasting Treaty, go too far and threaten the open internet, fair use, and public access to knowledge.
WIPO at a Glance
- Founded: 1967 (operational since 1970)
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Member States: 193 countries
- Key Role: Global IP policy and treaties
- Current Focus: Broadcasting Treaty negotiations
- Key Committee: SCCR (Standing Committee on Copyright)
Key Issues at Stake
The WIPO Broadcasting Treaty raises critical concerns for anyone who uses the internet. Here are the issues that matter most.
Broadcasting Treaty
The proposed WIPO treaty would grant broadcasters new exclusive rights over content they transmit, even content they did not create. This creates a dangerous extra layer of control over information.
Webcasting Rights
Proposals to extend broadcasting-style protections to webcasters could fundamentally change how content is shared and accessed on the internet, restricting what users can do online.
Fair Use Limitations
New broadcasting rights could override existing fair use and fair dealing exceptions, limiting educators, journalists, researchers, and everyday users from accessing information freely.
Public Domain Access
Broadcasting rights could lock up public domain works when they are transmitted, effectively privatizing content that belongs to everyone and restricting cultural heritage.
Digital Restrictions
The treaty could mandate legal protections for technological protection measures (TPMs), making it illegal to circumvent digital locks even for lawful purposes.
Innovation Impact
Expanding broadcasting rights creates legal uncertainty for startups, open-source projects, and new platforms, stifling the innovation that has driven the internet's growth.
Treaty Timeline
The WIPO Broadcasting Treaty has been under negotiation for over two decades. Here is how the debate has evolved and where it stands today.
Treaty Discussions Begin at WIPO
WIPO's Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) begins exploring the possibility of updating international broadcasting protections for the digital age.
First Draft Treaty Proposals
Initial proposals emerge that would grant broadcasters broad new rights, including over internet transmissions. Digital rights organizations raise early concerns about the scope.
Major Civil Society Opposition
The EFF, Creative Commons, and other organizations launch campaigns against the treaty's broad scope, particularly its extension to webcasting and the potential impact on fair use.
WIPO General Assembly Limits Scope
After significant pushback, the WIPO General Assembly instructs negotiators to focus on traditional broadcasting and exclude webcasting from the treaty's scope.
Signal-Based Approach Proposed
Negotiations shift toward a 'signal-based' approach that would protect broadcasting signals rather than granting rights over content, addressing some civil society concerns.
Renewed Push for Finalization
WIPO member states push to finalize the treaty, with ongoing debates about the scope of protection, the treatment of internet transmissions, and the balance with existing copyright exceptions.
Negotiations Continue
Discussions remain active at WIPO's SCCR. Key disagreements persist about whether the treaty should cover simultaneous internet retransmissions and on-demand content.
Why It Matters
The decisions made at WIPO directly affect every person who uses the internet. Here is why you should care about the Broadcasting Treaty.
Your Access to Information
New broadcasting rights could restrict how you access news, educational content, and cultural works online. Broadcasters could gain the power to control content they did not create, adding an extra layer of permissions between you and the information you need.
Freedom of Expression
The treaty could chill free speech by creating legal risks for sharing, commenting on, or remixing broadcast content. This affects bloggers, journalists, educators, and anyone who participates in online discourse.
Innovation and Competition
Startups and new platforms could face legal barriers that established broadcasters do not. By granting powerful new rights to incumbent players, the treaty could entrench existing media monopolies and stifle competition.
Global Cultural Heritage
Public domain works could be effectively locked up when broadcast, preventing communities from freely accessing their own cultural heritage. Libraries, archives, and museums could face new restrictions on preserving and sharing knowledge.
Take Action
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