Digital Emblems Indicating Protections Under International Law
draft-haberman-digital-emblem-00

Abstract

International law defines a number of emblems, such as the blue helmets of United Nations peacekeeping forces, the blue and white shield of UNESCO, and the Red Cross of the International Committee of the Red Cross, as indicative of special protections under the Geneva Conventions. Similar protections attach to journalists who wear "Press" protective emblems on the battlefield, under Article 79 of Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions and Resolution 2222 of the United Nations Security Council. The emblems of national governments and inter-governmental organizations protect diplomatic pouches, couriers, and envoys under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Other marks enjoy protections against mis-use under the Paris Convention, the Madrid Protocol, and the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. Such physical emblems have a number of weaknesses (e.g., no real-time evaluation of their authenticity) and do not translate to the digital realm. This document describes a digital emblem which addresses the shortcomings of the physical emblems and makes possible the indication of protections of digital assets under international law.

Authors

Brian Haberman
Allison Mankin
Bill Woodcock
Casey Deccio
Antonio DeSimone

(Note: The e-mail addresses provided for the authors of this Internet-Draft may no longer be valid.)