Orphan Works & Emerging Image Recognition Technologies

Washington, D.C. partner Janet Fries will moderate a panel on "Orphan Works & Emerging Image Recognition Technologies" at the ABA's annual Intellectual Property Section Conference, Thursday, April 2, from 1:45-3:15 p.m., at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA.

The program will convene cutting-edge digital image technology developers with lawyers representing visual artists, content users and other interested parties to determine whether emerging technologies can solve problems relating to "orphan works" – copyrightable works for which owners cannot be identified. The CEOs of two prominent image technology companies -- Leila Boujnane of Idée (Toronto) and Offir Gutelzon of PicScout, Inc. (San Francisco) -- will demonstrate new technologies, and representatives of the Copyright Office and the photography industry will discuss possible impacts of these technologies on the potential passage of orphan works legislation in the 111th Congress. Potential impacts of these technologies on online trademark enforcement, such as the monitoring of infringement of logos and other design marks, will also be addressed.

These programs were organized through the ABA's Special Committee on Copyright & New Technologies, which Janet Fries chairs with Washington, D.C. associate Phil Cardinale as vice-chair. The committee will also host a networking meeting at the conference on Wednesday, April 1st, from 3:30-5:00 p.m.