Copyright News Round Up
Week of June 28, 2017
Stay informed about all things Copyright with our weekly Copyright News Round Up.
Friday’s Endnotes – 07/28/17
By Copyhype | BMI & ASCAP Announce Creation of New Musical Works Database “A cross-functional team of copyright, technical and data experts from BMI and ASCAP began working on the project over one year ago, in anticipation of the demand from licensees and the industry for more clarity around ownership shares. The database, which will be publicly available initially via ASCAP’s and BMI’s websites, will feature aggregated information from BMI’s and ASCAP’s repertories and will indicate where other performing rights organizations may have an interest in a musical work.”
Five Questions with Singer-Songwriter Kela Parker
By Copyright Alliance | “This week we would like you to meet one of our Individual Creator Members, Kela Parker.
1. Can you take us through your process? How long does it take? Does everything you produce make money?
Making music is this weird time warp where you can spend days working something that is ultimately only going to be a few seconds of actual music.”
Registers of Copyrights: 120 Years of Excellence in Service
By Terrica Carrington | This past Saturday marked 120 years since the appointment of the first Register of Copyrights, Thorvald Solberg, in 1897. Thirty years prior to his appointment, then-Librarian of Congress Ainsworth Rand Spofford began pushing for a change in the law, which would require copyright holders to send deposit copies of their work to the Library of Congress, in hopes of beating the competition the Smithsonian Library in the race for the title of America’s “National Library.” Back then, the Library of Congress was ranked just fifth among the nation’s largest collections.
Castle: New Music Licensing Bill is Crony Capitalism
By David Newhoff | “Not only musicians, but authors of all works should be deeply concerned about Rep. Sensenbrenner’s proposed “Transparency in Music Licensing and Ownership Act,” says attorney and blogger Chris Castle. Describing the proposed legislation as a new “safe harbor” for users of creative works, the new law would effectively abolish liability for infringements by large, corporate-owned business sectors like the American Hotel and Lodging Association, along with usual suspects in the internet industry.”
Orlowski: Google Returns to CA Court on Equustek
By David Newhoff | “”What should govern the behavior of huge multinationals like Google: the law Google makes for itself, or the laws that people make?” asks Andrew Orlowski. Indeed. For anyone interested in whether or not the tech giants are simply going to be allowed to operate above the law, the Equustek case is one to watch. As reported, Google was ordered by the Canadian Supreme Court to remove links worldwide pending trial between tech manufacturer Equustek Solutions and alleged counterfeiter Datalink.”
State Attorneys General Appear in Anti-Piracy PSA Campaign
By Ted Johnson | “WASHINGTON, D.C. Ñ A group of 15 state attorneys general have launched a public service campaign to warn consumers about the risk of malware from visiting piracy sites.
The PSAs are running on TV, radio, and social media in 15 states during July and August, and were organized by the group Digital Citizens Alliance.”
Property Rights, An American Principle
by James Edwards | “”We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
These stirring words from our Declaration of Independence are well worth remembering, having just observed the 241st anniversary of our Founders’ declaring our independence from King George III’s rule.
Americans proudly regard the words of our founding documents and the liberty they bought us as a people.”
American Continental Group
Content & Technology Policy Report | July 28, 2017
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Photo Credit: Kubkoo/iStock/thinkstock & seb_ra/iStock/thinkstock
Photos edited by: Copyright Alliance