Cheerleader Uniform IP Case Ends With Unusual Settlement — Following its defeat in the Supreme Court over the question of whether the visual designs on cheerleader uniforms it was accused of copying were protected by copyright, Star Athletica wanted to push forward with the litigation on alternate grounds. Its insurance company, however, had different ideas, and this week agreed to a settlement with Varsity Brands. Law360′s Bill Donahue has the full story.
Judge Rules KickassTorrents Founder Properly Charged With Criminal Copyright Conspiracy — The federal judge denied Artem Vaulin’s motion to dismiss his criminal indictment as Vaulin faces extradition in Poland. The criminal case has many similarities to the one involving Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom, which began in 2012 (Dotcom has also not yet been extradited). Be sure to also check out David Newhoff’s take on the decision.
Unsplash is (Still) Bad for Photography — Professional photographer Allen Murabayashi casts a critical eye on the site, which solicits photographers to upload and share their images for free. Says Murabayashi, “Free isn’t the answer. It’s not sustainable. If you value any craft, then you need to pay for it. There are costs associated with any craft, and even a hobbyist needs to figure out how to justify a series of on-going expenses.”
Rep. Darrell Issa: It’s Time to Bring Pre-1972 Copyrights Out of the Dark Ages (Guest Column) — The Congressman this week penned an op-ed in support of his recently introduced (along with Rep. Nadler) CLASSICS Act. The bill would bring sound recordings made before February 15, 1972—currently unprotected by federal copyright law—within the scope of the statutory license for digital transmissions, meaning the owners of those recordings would collect royalties when they are streamed online.