Copyright: News and views

Add your own links to copyright stories and commentary

April

MDY Industries v. Blizzard - Developer of World of Warcraft (popular online role-playing game) trying to use contributory and vicarious infringement arguments (and the DMCA) to go after the maker of a bot that allows users to cheat in the game. MDY originally was seeking a declaratory judgment that they were not violating any of Blizzard's rights - copyright or otherwise - then Blizzard counterclaimed.
- I haven't come across any full news articles on this, but here are some case documents I was able to find:
  - MDY original complaint/request for declaratory judgment
  - Blizzard answer and counterclaims - See pages 14-17 for the copyright/DMCA portions
  - Case management plan Additional statements from involved parties
- Slashdot blurb

Beaming Up 3-D Objects On a Budget, New York Times, April 5, 2007
- Sculpture copying becomes far easier

Viacom Sues YouTube Over Copyright, Washington Post, Mar. 13, 2007
- Our Case Against YouTube (By Michael Fricklas, Viacom General Counsel), Washington Post, Mar. 24, 2007
Microsoft attacks Google on Copyright

Court rules that Google breaches copyright with news service (in Belgium)
NFL won't let church show game because it violates copyright law 2/1/07
- Wonder where the "55 inches" comes from? Take a look at the detailed "home-style exceptions" of 17 U.S.C. 110(5), exceptions to the public performance right.

Man enforces copyright on the Electric Slide, News.com, February 3, 2007
- Should something so popular receive copyright protection?

Suit by Record Companies Against XM Going to Trial, Washington Post, Jan. 20, 2007
- Maybe it is my youth or the fact that I don't view MP3s as something strange and new and weird, but this statement by the judge made me scratch my head: "It is manifestly apparent that the use of a radio-cassette player to record songs played over free radio does not threaten the market for copyrighted works as does the use of a recorder which stores songs from private radio broadcasts on a subscription fee basis."

DJ Drama Arrested over Mixtapes, Billboard.com, Jan. 17, 2007
- Of particular interest after today's discussion on derivative works.
- Long discussion at http://www.freethedjs.com/ , including warrants that allege not a copyright-based arrest, but a state law allegation of failure to comply with Georgia's labeling law.

Perez Hilton takes their best shots, LA Times, Dec. 17, 2006 (quoting David Nimmer)