Copyhype

The Purpose of Copyright? Examining the Retracted Republican Study Committee Brief — From the Bolt, an online offshoot of the Berkeley Technology Law Journal, comes a look at Derek Khanna’s infamous copyright memo, and my response to it here last November.

Fair Use is Fair Game: MPAA Files Amicus Brief in NFL Intellectual Property Case — Earlier this week, the MPAA filed a brief in support of a filmmaker’s fair use of a Baltimore Ravens logo appearing on screen. That the MPAA would defend fair use in court surprised only those who have become convinced of their own caricature of the organization as being “copyright maximalists.”

MPAA and Fair Use: A Quick History — Ben Sheffner at the MPAA responds to “the suggestion in some of the commentary about our brief that the MPAA and its members somehow “oppose” fair use, or that our embrace of it in the Baltimore Ravens brief represents a  shift in our position. That’s simply false, a notion that doesn’t survive even a casual encounter with the facts. Our members rely on the fair use doctrine every day when producing their movies and television shows – especially those that involve parody and news and documentary programs. And it’s routine for our members to raise fair use – successfully – in court.”

WNET v. Aereo: Split Appellate Panel Rules That “Remote-Storage DVR” Decision Insulates Provider of Internet Streaming from Liability — Eleanor Lackman examines the recent Second Circuit decision involving internet TV rebroadcaster Aereo. Great analysis and timely, as a similar case with a different outcome (Aereokiller) is set to appear in front of the Ninth Circuit.

Mossoff on Copyright & Innovation in Scholarly Publishing — The Legal Theory Blog highlights Adam Mossoff’s latest, must-read article that details the investment and innovation that scholarly publishers provide to help disseminate academic works.

Jurassic Park is Frightening in the Dark — The best dinosaur movie ever is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a theatrical release in 3D. While the film incorporated stunning advances in computer generated imagery, it also featured equally groundbreaking “real-life” props by Stan Winston Studios. Here is a collection of videos showing a behind the scenes look at how some of these props were built.

Google’s Design Defect of Moral Hazard — “Just like the iconic exploding gas tank, it is clear that Google’s current product creates an unsafe environment for consumers.  From illegal drugs, to human trafficking to copyright infringement, Google is the leading source of criminals making their wares available to unsuspecting consumers. Not only does Google’s advertising of legitimate brands on illegal sites create the veneer of respectability, Google holds itself out to the public as a reliable source of information.”

Blackstrap will turn your Pocket or Instapaper articles into a $15 print book — Copyright infringement? Or just an incredibly inefficient way to print articles from the web?