Copyright
Google to Settle Book-Scanning Suit with Publishers, Authors
As I learned via Twitter this morning (thanks, Tim OReilly), the Authors and Publishers class counsel have reached a proposed settlement of their lawsuits against Googles book scanning program. Ea ....... read more
Tue,
28 Oct 2008
McCain’s YouTube Takedown Inspires Fair Use Fervor
Theres nothing like a misfired copyright claim to make a presidential campaign see the value of fair use. After finding several of its campaign videos removed from YouTube for copyright claims, the M ....... read more
Tue,
14 Oct 2008
Federal Circuit Confirms Key Free Software Licensing Practice
The Federal Circuit held this week in Jacobsen v. Katzer, that Java Model Railroad Interface author Robert Jacobsens release of software under the Artistic License gave him the right to sue for copyr ....... read more
Fri,
15 Aug 2008
Olympics, YouTube, Protest, copyright
Students for a Free Tibet posted video of a Free Tibet protest to YouTube. YouTube pulled it, in response to a copyright complaint from the International Olympic Committee. From the
copy posted to vim ....... read more
Tue,
12 Aug 2008
Follow the Lead-Users, Not with Cease-and-Desists
Hasbro should have settled with the Scrabulous developers, not sued
While Hasbro was scrapping with Mattel over rights to develop an official online Scrabble (the two split geographic ownership of the ....... read more
Thu,
07 Aug 2008
The RIAA has an ACTA Wish-List
Remember ACTA, the draft proposed harmonization of copyright found on Wikileaks? In keeping with the view that harmonization is a one-way ratchet up, RIAA has some suggestions for the US Trade Repre ....... read more
Tue,
01 Jul 2008
DMCA “Repeat Infringers”: Scientology Critic’s Account Reinstated after Counter-Notification
The Scientology critic known as ?Wise Beard Man? returned to YouTube this week after successfully filing counter-notifications to copyright claims that had earlier been made against his account. The t ....... read more
Fri,
06 Jun 2008
NYT Editorial Supports copyright Rationality in Sports
The New York Times has a nice editorial today on the Supreme Courts denial of cert to the MLBs claims to own fantasy baseball. That leaves the case where the Eighth Circuit did, saying that fantasy ....... read more
Thu,
05 Jun 2008
Incipient Intellectual Property
We talk a lot about the ways intellectual property stifles innovation once it attaches the patent thickets created when dozens of companies claim rights to parts of the same widget-process, the hind ....... read more
Wed,
04 Jun 2008
Sony BMG Sends YouTube Ads Instead of Takedown
As reported on Valleywag and picked up by Slashdot, Sony BMG has been testing an alternative to copyright takedowns of unauthorized music videos on YouTube: inserting a link to the bands official pag ....... read more
Thu,
15 May 2008
Air Force DMCA-Bombs YouTube
Over at Wireds Threat Level blog, Kevin Poulsen reports on a new DMCA overreach: the U.S. Air Force complained (via outside counsel) about his posting of their recruiting video. The post, Kevin says, ....... read more
Fri,
07 Mar 2008
Stop Congress From Breaking Higher Education Networks
Entertainment lobbyists have dumped a nasty trojan horse into the Higher Education bill scheduled for markup Wednesday in the House Committee on Education and Labor. On page 412 of the massive 747-pag ....... read more
Tue,
13 Nov 2007
MLB throws a DRM sinker to fans
Via BoingBoing, comes the account of a sports writer and avid fan who spent $280 to purchase video footage of Major League Baseball games, only to lose the ability to watch his purchases when MLB swit ....... read more
Wed,
07 Nov 2007
University of Oregon Stands up to Record Labels
Standing up for student privacy, the University of Oregon has refused to identify alleged infringers at record labels request. Unlike most universities, which have identified students, U of O recen ....... read more
Mon,
05 Nov 2007
Sen. McCain Calls Fair Use on Fox
The Associated Press reports that presidential candidate John McCain has rejected Foxs call to cease and desist from using Fox debate footage in a campaign ad.
Fox is apparently claiming infringeme ....... read more
Fri,
26 Oct 2007
Chilly Weekend: Black Friday Prequel and Public Domain Music Scores
If its fall, these must be cease-and-desists for Black Friday ads. This year, they seem to be coming earlier than ever, as Wal-Mart sends pre-notifications against future posting. I put my analysis i ....... read more
Mon,
22 Oct 2007
Attributor’s Recipe for Inflated copyright Claims: Not All Copying Is Infringement
Over at CNet, Jennifer Guevin discusses a report from the content-tracking company Attributor, asserting that The next big copyright battle may be fought in the kitchen.”
Attributor collect ....... read more
Tue,
16 Oct 2007
DMCA Truth Is Stranger than Science Fiction
Author Denise McCune posts a great account of the workings and failings of the DMCAs notice-and-takedown procedures.
As Cory Doctorow has also reported on BoingBoing, the VP of the Science Fiction a ....... read more
Thu,
06 Sep 2007
Lawyer-Impersonator Pleads Guilty over False C&Ds
As if there werent enough problems with lawyers sending out improper cease-and-desists, Wired News reports that a Nevada man has pleaded guilty to impersonating a lawyer to extort domain registrants ....... read more
Fri,
07 Sep 2007
Has Common Sense Flown the Coop: No copyright claims to book prices
The Crimson has been reporting on the Harvard Coops silly claims of intellectual property against those who come to the bookstore to compare prices. Its escalated all the way to calling the cops, ....... read more
Wed,
26 Sep 2007