News service settles suit brought by Dow Jones over copyright violations

The financial news service Briefing.com admitted violating copyright law by copying over 100 stories from Dow Jones and paid an undisclosed substantial penalty. -db The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press November 17, 2010 By Rosemary Lane Financial news service Briefing.com settled a lawsuit with Dow Jones & Co. last week after the website [...]

Copyright ‘troll’ seeks $150,000 from Republican candidate

A copyright enforcement service has filed a lawsuit seeking $150,000 from Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle for posting two newspaper articles without authorization. The Register September 8, 2010 By Dan Goodin A copyright enforcement service has filed a lawsuit seeking $150,000 from Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle for posting two newspaper articles without [...]

Copyright enforcement concern signs up second newspaper chain

Righthaven, a company that sues bloggers who repost news content without prermission, has expanded its operation to a second newspaper chain, the Arkansas-based WEHCO Media. -db Wired August 30, 2010 By David Kravets A Las Vegas company established to sue bloggers who clip news content is expanding its operations to a second newspaper chain. Righthaven [...]

Federal judge not fooled by differing demon Spawn

Coraline and Stardust author Neil Gaiman is owed royalties for three more characters that appeared in artist Todd McFarlane’s classic Spawn comic book series, a federal judge has ruled. News August 3, 2010 By The Associated Press MADISON, Wis. — U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled last week that the demon Dark Ages Spawn and [...]

Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age

At Rhode Island College, a freshman copied and pasted from a Web site’s frequently asked questions page about homelessness — and did not think he needed to credit a source in his assignment because the page did not include author information. The New York Times News August 2, 2010 By Trip Gabriel At DePaul University, [...]

Apps Unchained: Copyright ruling legalizes smartphone ‘jailbreaks’

How smart is your smartphone?  Until yesterday your phone’s IQ was decided by the manufacturer (i.e., Apple) and/or wireless service provider (i.e., AT&T).  Monday the Library of Congress, responsible for making copyright decisions under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, made it legal to break the restrictions coded into smartphones–such as which apps you’re allowed to [...]

Free speech: Parodies of Hitler film clip run into copyright restrictions

The movie studio that made a 2004 film showing Adolf Hitler in a rage over the impending defeat of Nazi Germany is struggling to defend its copyright as parodies based on Hitler’s rage sprout on the Internet. db Free speech: Parodies of Hitler film clip run into copyright restrictions San Francisco Chronicle July 23, 2010 [...]

Reblogging carries legal risk

Reblogging could get you into legal problems or a big hassle. Reusing photos is almost certain to attract the notice of the photographer. -db Los Angeles Times Analysis June 9, 2010 By Mark Mili Bloggers rip, reuse and rehash text and media from the entrails of the Internet all the time, but the legality of [...]

Federal appeals court to hear case that could affect online news aggregation

The U.S. Court of Appeals (2nd Circuit) will hear a case this summer involving news media who want to protect time-sensitive stories from online aggregators. -db Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press May 26, 2010 By Brian Westley A case before a federal appeals court could have important ramifications for news organizations seeking to [...]

Federal judge suggests internet rights lawyer gave questionable advice to clients on discarding evidence

In handing down a decision in a copyright case pitting the Recording Industry Association of America against file-sharing service LimeWire, a  federal district judge implied that an Electronic Freedom Foundation lawyer may have advised clients to discard incriminating evidence.  -db CNET May 18, 2010 By Greg Sandoval

Federal court voids injunction on ‘Catcher in the Rye’ sequel

A federal appeals court vacated a lower court’s injunction on the publication of a sequel to “Catcher in the Rye” without ruling on the issue of whether the injunction constituted unlawful prior restraint on speech. -db The New York Times April 30, 2010 By Dave Itzkoff A United States appeals court on Friday vacated a lower court’s [...]

Sites sued for reposting articles without ever being asked to take them down

A copyright enforcement firm has filed three lawsuits against sites they claim reposted articles from newspapers including the Las Vegas Review-Journal. -db Online Media Daily April 30, 2010 By Wendy Davis Copyright enforcement outfit Righthaven has filed three more lawsuits against sites that allegedly reproduced articles from newspapers in the Stephens Media chain, including its [...]

Federal court decision shows ‘hot news’ doctrine still persists

A federal district court judge recently ruled against a financial news site for publishing recommendations of Wall Street research analysts, a “hot news” misappropriation. Harvard Law School lecturer and assistant director for CMLP Sam Bayard discusses the First Amendment issues raised by the decision. -db Citizen Media Law Project Commentary March 23, 2010 By Sam [...]

Trademark case: Chamber of Commerce battles critics over parody

Political activists are asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought against them by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce claiming the activists infringed on trademarks with a parody on the Chamber’s stance on climate change. -DB Electronic Frontier Foundation January 6, 2010 WASHINGTON, D.C. – A group of political activists including members of the Yes [...]

Publisher sues hackers for copyright infringement after portions of GQ appear online

Condé Nast has sued anonymous hackers after they downloaded unpublished photos and articles from GQ’s December issue and published them online. -DB Online Media Daily December 23, 2009 By Wendy Davis Condé Nast has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against unknown users who allegedly hacked into the company’s computer system, downloaded unpublished photos and articles, [...]

Small town latest casualty in motion picture copyright enforcement lottery

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) performs a regular ritual in a futile attempt to enforce copyright, the latest target an anonymous user in a small town who downloaded a copyrighted movie, writes a Citizen Media Law Project blogger.  In response to a breach notice, the town of Coshocton, Ohio voluntarily shut down its [...]

Arbitrator nixes talk show host Glenn Beck’s charge that parody infringed copyright

Online Media Daily November 6, 2009 By Wendy Davis Controversial talk show host Glenn Beck came up empty as a World Intellectual Property Organization arbitrator ruled that a unflattering url intended to be a parody came under the protection of the First Amendment. -DB

Critics blast Obama for conducting secret trade talks that could rewrite U.S. copyright law

Daily Finance November 5, 2009 By Sam Gustin The U.S. participated in secret talks in Seoul, South Korea last week that could result in harsh measures to root out copyright infringement. Civil liberties and consumer groups are upset by the lack of transparency in the proceedings. -DB

Will it Work?: New German proposal for copyright system to save journalism

Citizen Media Law Project blogger Arthur Bright argues that Germany’s proposal to charge for journalism content using a system similar to that used by the movie and music industries is fraught with difficulty and will only delay the inevitable. To survive, says Bright,  journalism must develop a workable business model. -DB Citizen Media Law Project [...]

Hallmark wants rehearing in First Amendment case against Paris Hilton

After losing a federal court appeal ruling on August 31, Hallmark Cards is asking for a rehearing with the full court concerning a dispute with Paris Hilton over a birthday card bearing an image of Hilton’s head. -DB The National Law Journal September 23, 2009 By Amanda Bronstad Hallmark Cards Inc. has asked the full [...]

Tracking software will not protect Associated Press conten

Wired writer Ryan Singel says just copying and pasting will remove underlying code meant to prevent misuse of AP content -DB Wired Commentary July 27, 2009 By Ryan Singel The Associated Press announcement that it would “protect” its online content by including special html code in the stories it distributes to its member papers raised hackles [...]

Associated Press taking hard line on use of its content

A.P. is adding new software to each of its articles to track how the article is used in an aggressive move to gain more profit from its stories. -DB The New York Times July 24, 2009 By Richard Perez-Pena Taking a new hard line that news articles should not turn up on search engines and Web [...]

Associated Press settles lawsuit over improper use of its content

AP settled their lawsuit against All headline News who had rewritten and posted AP stories online without assigning credit. AP used the “hot news” doctrine as the basis for their claim. -DB Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press July 14, 2009 By Lucas Tanglen The Associated Press settled its lawsuit against All headline News over [...]

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