Copyright News Round Up
Week of September 8, 2017
Stay informed about all things Copyright with our weekly Copyright News Round Up.
Friday’s Endnotes – 09/08/17
Terry Hart | “”Game of Thrones’ was pirated more than a billion times Ñ far more than it was watched legally The Washington Post has a full rundown of the numbers from anti-piracy analyst firm MUSO. And the reason for such high numbers may surprise you: “A 2015 study commissioned by ScreenFutures, a group of screen producers, found that the main attraction for those who watched or downloaded illegally obtained television shows was that it was free and they weren’t afraid of being caught.””
Five Questions with Music Creators Martin Weeks & Linda Keser
Copyright Alliance | This week we would like you to meet one of our Individual Creator Members, Martin Weeks & Linda Keser.
1. What was the inspiration behind becoming Song Writers and Music & Video Creators?
The inspiration was literally from Linda Keser. I realized three years ago, she was an amazing lyricist and I’ve never been good at writing lyrics for original songs.
Levine: How Google Money Really Influences Research
David Newhoff | “Last week, after antitrust scholar Barry Lynn praised the European Commission’s decision to fine Google for anti-competitive practices, his Open Markets program at the Google-backed New America Foundation was terminated. Robert Levine offers a nuanced perspective on the relevance of Google-scale money in policy think tanks, suggesting that what isn’t said may be at least as significant as what is said.”
The Year of the RAT-Beware
Hugh Stephens | “In the Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Rat (1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 etc), one of the 12 “animals” of the lunar cycle, brings with it good things as well as some cautions. Its prognostications are similar to those of the other eleven animals in the Chinese zodiac and to the predictions of western horoscopes. People born in the Year of the Rat, or “Rats”, are supposed to be “quick-witted, resourceful, versatile, kind, smart and lovely”, according to one Chinese zodiac website.”
Snapping the DMCA: Can Creators Protect Themselves on Snapchat?
Rebecca Cusey | “As technology continues to offer us new ways to connect and share information, how do new platforms jive with the system set up in 1998 by Congress to enable copyright owners to protect their property on the Internet?
Not well, it turns out. Let’s look at Snapchat, the hottest messaging app that ever slapped a flower crown on a selfie.”
App Piracy Stifles Innovation, Harms Consumers
Ruth Vitale | “Mobile applications — the fun, useful programs that tell you how to get home, give you awesome bunny ears, introduce you to the love of your life, and let you text your friends across the world, and are cheap (maybe 99 cents) or even free — are being pirated like crazy.
But why? And if the prices range from free to cheap, who’s getting hurt anyway, right? Simple: The thousands of creatives who make the apps that make our lives easier or more fun.
Here’s an example: 95% of Android users who play the puzzle game “Monument Valley” downloaded the game without paying for it.”
Court of Appeals Rules VidAngel Is Really The Devil in Disguise
Stephen Carlisle | “On August 24, 2017, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals drove what should be the final stake in the heart of movie streaming service VidAngel. In sweeping terms, the Court upheld the broad injunction put in place against VidAngel by the District Court, which prevented “VidAngel from copying and streaming, transmitting, or otherwise publicly performing or displaying any of Plaintiff’s copyrighted works,’ ‘circumventing technological measures protecting Plaintiff’s copyrighted works,’ or ‘engaging in any other activity that violates, directly or indirectly,’ [sections] 1201(a) or 106 of the copyright act. [1]”
American Continental Group
Content & Technology Policy Report | September 8, 2017
More Copyright Headlines here.
Photo Credit: Kubkoo/iStock/thinkstock & seb_ra/iStock/thinkstock
Photos edited by: Copyright Alliance