http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZQ-DipbI-4
A lot of copyright news this week!
Supreme Court reverses in Kirtsaeng — First up, the Supreme Court released its decision in Kirtsaeng on Tuesday.
Copyright Act in the Digital Age — Next, the Register of Copyrights went to Congress to propose a general revision of the Copyright Act. Rob Levine wrote a fantastic preview of her testimony.
Worth the Wait: 9th Circuit Delivers Big Win for Creators in Isohunt Case — Then on Thursday, the 9th Circuit released its opinion in a case that seemed almost forgotten (Isohunt was argued nearly 2 years ago). The Copyright Alliance’s Alexandra Goldstein summarizes the decision, which seems to provide strong support for the common sense notion that those who intentionally profit off infringement don’t get a free pass just because they operate online instead of offline.
Meltwater loses again: the black knight rises — Finally, a NY district court ruled against a digital news clipper on copyright infringement. This is a fascinating case involving fair use and other issues in an online context. Dominic Young provides a good summary of the opinion here, but I may dig into the decision more in a stand alone post next week.
In other news…
Protect rights of artists in new copyright law — This week’s must-read is Sandra Aistar’s op-ed regarding the push for a general copyright revision. “Ensuring that all creators retain the freedom of choice in determining how their creative work is used, disseminated and monetized is vital to protecting freedom of expression. Consent is at the heart of freedom, thus we must judge any proposed update by whether it prioritizes artists’ rights to have meaningful control over their creative work and livelihood.”
Mirror, Mirror…Why Does the Anti-Copyright Lobby Live in Opposite World? — Ellen Seidler provides some cutting insights. “The talking points echoed by the panel at SXSW reflected the anti-copyright lobby’s disingenuous mantra that content creators seeking to protect their work from theft should be viewed as criminals, while those who brazenly steal (and monetize) the work of others are somehow the ‘innovators.'”
A Step Closer to an Internet that Values Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Information, and the Freedom to Protect the Things We Create and Own — Chris Marcich of the MPAA comments on the recent European Court of Human Rights decision in the Pirate Bay case. “The Internet is a central part of our lives. Citizens across the world, particularly young people, care about it passionately. So do we. We just want to ensure the Internet works for everyone. We want an Internet where the creative property of artists and creators is protected along with the privacy and security of all users. An Internet where the values society holds dear in the offline world, shape how we interact online. And yes, these include freedom of expression, freedom of information and the freedom to protect the things we create and own.”
IFPI slams EU piracy study as ‘flawed and misleading’ — Recently, the EU released a study on piracy’s effects on digital music sales. The study’s conclusions were misreported the study itself suffers some serious flaws.
SXSW: David Lowery and Co. Lash out Against Industry ‘Pimps’ — Last week was the music portion of SXSW. Billboard takes a look at what may have been one of the best panels: David Lowery, Daryl Friedman, East Bay Ray, and Nakia discussing “Who’s Ripping Me Off Now?”
Was the “Who’s Ripping Me Off Now?†panel w/Lowery videotaped?
Is there anywhere to view and/or buy the event?