IP-Intellectual Property and the Web is becoming ever more entangled. The China vs Google confrontation is not just about censorship of the Web but rather two other and more important factors: i)continued almost total disregard for IP and Copyrights in China despite ritual Chinese government promises to police and curb blatant copying [one **(see below) critical reason that Baidu has beaten Google in China has been that Baidu provides links to stolen audio, games, software, movies and other IP while Google does not] and ii)growing and much more sophisticated Chinese cyberattacks on IP resources at Western corporations including attacks on not just Google but a wide range of companies and defense agencies. Now these cyberattacks and IP infringement are not just Chinese but originate throughout the world.
So that is the reason that policy makers are working in paris to complete an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement by the end of the year. But problems are arising in those multi-goverment efforts as reported in the NYTimes. First, as might be expected there are quarrels among the policy makers. Next the year end deadline is in danger. And finally, BRIC-Brazil Russia India and China may just do a Copenhagen all over again – just say an emphatic NO because the Developed World is yet again trying to thwart the legitimate ambitions of the Developing Countries. Stay tuned the bitter partisanship and Gridlocked Governance problems in the US may be spreading like a viral disease worldwide.
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**Baidu is said to have beaten Google by its much more UI friendly layout versus Google; but Google has changed its UI and was rapidly gaining market share versus Baidu in the past half year.