Vital telecommunications software, such as network management, encryption and server software, is now protected by the treaty. We need to extend copyright protection beyond Europe and North America to the developing nations of Asia and Latin America. Software companies are hesitant to ply their wares in nations that do not guarantee these rights. With nations like El Salvador, China and Russia registering piracy rates above 90 percent, the ability of the WIPO treaty to effectively obligate countries to protect software and intellectual property will surely be tested. Recent U.S. troubles in China over copyright protections and in Korea over semiconductor protection are indicative of the important role IPR plays in the global trade arena.
Every new technology brings new enforcement problems.
Protecting against piracy was one of the basic reasons for these treaties. Various proposals were fielded to discuss which exceptions and liabilities would be appropriate in the digital environment. Publishing groups believe service providers should be held responsible for copyright violations created by users posting illegal material in cyberspace. The ISPs feel they cannot be accountable for the actions of individuals on their networks. While WIPO is expected to continue discussing the issue, no international treaty is in the works at this time.