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Russian book publishers also want to sign antipiracy memorandum with internet companies

The chief of Russian book union asked the chief of Roskomandzor – the Russian internet watchdog – to assist in signing of antipiracy memorandum between book publishers and internet companies in order to fight piracy more effective. The antipiracy memo, signed between right holders and internet companies, covers only strict circle of right holders and only audio-visual works, the books and other types of copyrighted content are not included in memo.

The chief of Russian book union (RBU) has sent a letter to chief of Roskomnadzor. In the letter the chief of RBU asked to help Russian association on protection of copyright in internet to sign antipiracy memo with internet companies. The letter underlines that the book publishers did not authorize the signatories of signed memo to represent their interests. The association’s call to participate in memo has been ignored by Roskomnadzor (RKN) and internet companies.

“Despite the active position of book industry, the right holders from movie industry receive more preference”, the letter states. “Such approach is disappointing. De facto the book industry has been leaved alone in fighting of piracy, it does not have other way except the filing hundreds of lawsuits to restrict access and persuading the courts that the search engines facilitate the dissemination of book piracy”, – the letter reads. The cooperation of RKN and association would facilitate cleaning out the indexing of pirate URLs, the RBU believes.