If Nasdaq trends and international industry surveys can be believed, ICT is not only returning to a growth cycle more moderate than the last spurt that ended in 2000/2001, but is also more sustainable. As happened with the ICT industry worldwide, Lebanon’s information economy also felt struck by the bursting of the e-bubble and was shaken by the weakness of business confidence that flooded planet earth over the past 24 months. On top of that, there were the socio and politico-economic troubles of the region to contend with. However, living through these experiences did not fundamentally alter the many concerns and issues the local industry has to confront. Take violations of intellectual property rights (IPR). “Basically, the level of piracy on all fronts is more or less the same,” said Walid Nasser, a lawyer who locally represents international organizations concerned with IPR protection. IPR is a crucial concern to anyone
