>Thread-Topic: VRA Intellectual Property Rights News: April 2008 >Thread-Index: AcirjEDH1latpA1bTRK5kwSoMrL1Vw== >Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 09:07:06 -0400 >Reply-To: Visual Resources Association <VRA-L at LISTSERV.UARK.EDU> >Sender: Visual Resources Association <VRA-L at LISTSERV.UARK.EDU> >From: Jen Green <jgreen at NHIA.EDU> >Subject: VRA Intellectual Property Rights News: April 2008 >To: VRA-L at LISTSERV.UARK.EDU >List-Help: <http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=VRA-L>, > <mailto:LISTSERV at LISTSERV.UARK.EDU?body=INFO VRA-L> >List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:VRA-L-unsubscribe-request at LISTSERV.UARK.EDU> >List-Subscribe: <mailto:VRA-L-subscribe-request at LISTSERV.UARK.EDU> >List-Owner: <mailto:VRA-L-request at LISTSERV.UARK.EDU> >List-Archive: <http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=VRA-L> >X-ELNK-Received-Info: spv=0; >X-ELNK-AV: 0 >X-ELNK-Info: sbv=0; sbrc=.0; sbf=00; sbw=000; > >IPR- In the News? >Compiled by Jen Green, New Hampshire Institute of Art >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Press Release: Study Group Issues Report >Recommending Changes in Copyright Law to Reflect >Digital Technologies >News from the Library of Congress, March 31, 2008 ><http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2008/08-063.html>http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2008/08-063.html > >After nearly three years of intensive work, the >independent Section 108 Study Group has issued >its report and recommendations on exceptions to >copyright law to address how libraries, archives >and museums deal with copyrighted materials in >fulfilling their missions in the digital >environment. Section 108 is the section of the >Copyright Act that provides limited exceptions >for libraries and archives so that they may make >copies to replace copyrighted works in their >collections when necessary, preserve them for >the long term and make them available to users. > >See article below: "Section Eight Study Group" >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Section Eight Study Group ><http://www.section108.gov/>http://www.section108.gov/ > >The Section 108 Study Group is a select >committee of copyright experts charged with >updating for the digital world the Copyright >Act's balance between the rights of creators and >copyright owners and the needs of libraries and >archives. The Study Group was convened as an >independent group by the National Digital >Information Infrastructure and Preservation >program of the Library of Congress and by the >U.S. Copyright Office. The recommendations, >conclusions, and other outcomes of the Study >Group's Report are its own and do not reflect >the opinions of the Library of Congress or the >U.S. Copyright Office. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Is Sharing a Folder Copyright Infringement? >by Andrew Orlowski, The Register, April 2, 2008 ><http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/02/elektra_barker_dismissal_rejection/>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/02/elektra_barker_dismissal_rejection/ > >A US Judge on Monday upheld the view that >sharing copyrighted music is infringement. It's >a defeat for defendant Denise Barker and the >Electronic Frontier Foundation, and a victory >for the four record labels in the case, led by >Warner's Elektra. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Court Protects Students -- for Now -- in Battle With Music Industry >by Josh Fischman, The Chronicle of Higher >Education: Wired Campus, April 4, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/5lowp5>http://tinyurl.com/5lowp5 > >Four Boston University students, accused of >pirating music with their computers, got a >sympathetic ruling this week from a federal >judge. The ruling notes that the students' >privacy and First Amendment rights might have >been violated. > >See related topic below: "Boston U. Students >Tell Judge: Recording Industry Group Uses >Unsavory Business" >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Big Content in Worldwide "whisper campaign" Against Fair Use >by Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, April 7, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/3qxgb8>http://tinyurl.com/3qxgb8 > >"If you've been following copyright debates for >more than, say, 10 minutes, you're probably >aware that "some rights good, more rights >better!" might well be the motto of many content >owners. Fair use and fair dealing put >limitations on these otherwise exclusive rights, >and they do so on the theory that copyright is >not an absolute right to control and profit from >every single use of a particular work. News >reporting, classroom use, commentary, parody; in >the US, at least, these don't require either >permission or payment. But content owners aren't >necessarily down with this way of thinking, and >copyright expert William Patry believes that a >"counter-reformation" is in the works to crimp >worldwide plans to expand fair use." > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Does Selling Lecture Notes Violate Professors' Copyrights? >by Catherine Rampell, The Chronicle of Higher >Education: Wired Campus, April 7, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/44wfdc>http://tinyurl.com/44wfdc > >A University of Florida professor is suing a >company that sells students' lecture notes >because he says the service infringes on his >intellectual property rights, Wired reports. > >______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Creative Commons Gets $4 Million Grant, loses CEO Lessig >by Caroline McCarthy, c | net news, April 7, 2008 ><http://www.news.com/8301-13577_3-9909027-36.html>http://www.news.com/8301-13577_3-9909027-36.html > >Creative Commons, the nonprofit dedicated to >reforming copyright in the digital age, said it >has received a $4 million grant from the William >and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Meanwhile, >Lawrence Lessig, the organization's founder, a >Stanford law professor, and a "free culture" >advocate, is stepping down from his role as CEO >of Creative Commons. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Mind Your Own Business: You Will Lose the Rights to Your Own Art >by Mark Simon, Animation World Magazine, April 10, 2008 ><http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=3605&page=1>http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=3605&page=1 > >"As you know, I usually handle the subjects in >my articles with a sense of humor. That is not >the case this month. I find nothing funny about >the new Orphan Works legislation that is before >Congress." > >See related response articles below: "Six >Misconceptions about Orphaned Works;" "Recent >Orphan Works FUD;" >See also: "Press Release: Groups Praise Orphan >Works Legislation Introduced In Senate and >House;" "Blog: Orphan Works 2008: House and >Senate Bills Introduced" > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Boston U. Students Tell Judge: Recording Industry Group Uses Unsavory Business >by Andrea Foster, Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus, April 10, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/54hpwt>http://tinyurl.com/54hpwt > >The latest chapter to the file-sharing battle >between some Boston University students and the >recording industry centers on MediaSentry. The >business tries to ferret out copyright violators >by scouring peer-to-peer networks for the >Internet-protocol numbers of students who swap >music online. The business downloads some songs >and takes a snapshot of the students' music >files. The Recording Industry Association of >America has been using MediaSentry to help >identify students who the industry-group later >sues. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Europe Votes Against Online Copyright Law >by Mike Sachoff, WebProNews, April 11, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/492mp2>http://tinyurl.com/492mp2 > >The European Parliament shot down the proposal >to ban file sharing by private individuals and >dropped the idea to bar copyright abusers from >the Internet. In a close vote, 314 Members of >the European Parliament voted to reject an >amendment that would have protected copyright on >the Internet and 297 voted against throwing out >the amendment. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Blog: Radio Free Meredith: Six Misconceptions about Orphaned Works >by Meredith L. Patterson, April 12, 2008 ><http://maradydd.livejournal.com/374886.html>http://maradydd.livejournal.com/374886.html > >"My friends list today has been swept by a storm >of fear, uncertainty and doubt surrounding the >article by Mark Simon on Animation World Network >about the issue of orphaned works. "Orphaned >works" are creations likely still under >copyright -- photographs, illustrations, written >works, music, &c. -- for which the original >creator cannot be found, and thus their >copyright status cannot be determined. Orphaned >works present a thorny problem in today's >litigious society, because when the question of >"who owns X?" can't be answered, very few people >are willing to do anything with X if they fear >that they'll be sued for it." > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Blog: Public Knowledge: Recent Orphan Works FUD >by Alex Curtis, April 14, 2008 ><http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1518>http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1518 > >"Mark Simon wrote in Animation World Magazine >last week about orphan works. I presume it was >meant to be an in depth analysis of current >orphan works legislation, but unfortunately he >does himself and his readers a disservice >because the article was factually shallow and >didn't accurately portray anything ever offered >up by this or previous Congresses." > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >International Lobby asks US to Elevate Lebanon's >Grade on Intellectual Property >by Michael Bluhm, Daily Star Lebanon, April 14, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/4fnhbq>http://tinyurl.com/4fnhbq > >The International Intellectual Property Alliance >(IIPA) has asked the US Trade Representative >(USTR) to upgrade Lebanon from the Priority Watch > >List for serious infringements of intellectual >property rights and severe copyright problems to >the Watch List, said a report in the latest >edition of Byblos Bank's Lebanon This Week. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Analysis: Is The Website Owner Responsible For User Generated Content? >by David Oxenford, DigitalMediaWire, April 14, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/3zzo5s>http://tinyurl.com/3zzo5s > >Website operators who allow the posting of >user-generated content on their sites enjoy >broad immunity from legal liability. This >includes immunity from copyright violations if >the site owner registers with the Copyright >Office, does not encourage the copyright >violations and takes down infringing content >upon receiving notice from a copyright owner. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >New Copyright Laws Hoped to Embrace the Digital Age >TV3 News, April 14, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/3mwkjx>http://tinyurl.com/3mwkjx > >Parliament has given New Zealand's outdated >copyright laws a reboot to embrace the digital >age. While it has addressed concerns with music >copyright, many say it has failed to grasp the >place of video in the modern online world. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Stanford Law School's Fair Use Project Defends >RDR Books Against Copyright Lawsuit Brought by >J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. > >BusinessWire, April 14, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/4wgu2c>http://tinyurl.com/4wgu2c > >A federal court in New York will hear opening >arguments today over whether an independent book >publisher has the right to publish the Harry >Potter Lexicon, an unofficial reference guide to >the Harry Potter series of books and movies. In >a trial that is expected to last two to three >days, attorneys from the Fair Use Project of >Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and >Society, along with co-counsel, will argue that >their client, RDR Books, has the right to >publish the Lexicon under the fair use doctrine. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Press Release: Georgia State University >Copyright Infringement Suit Filed In Atlanta >Federal Court >The Association of American Publishers, April 16, 2008 ><http://www.publishers.org/main/PressCenter/GeorgiaStateLawsuitRelease.htm>http://www.publishers.org/main/PressCenter/GeorgiaStateLawsuitRelease.htm > >Atlanta: A group of publishers filed suit in >federal court late yesterday to stop widespread >copyright infringement at Georgia State >University (GSU). The complaint, filed by Oxford >University Press, Cambridge University Press and >SAGE Publications and supported by the >Association of American Publishers (AAP), >charges that GSU officials are violating the law >by systematically enabling professors to provide >students with digital copies of copyrighted >course readings published by the plaintiffs and >numerous other publishers without those >publishers' authorization. The lawsuit seeks >injunctive relief to bring an end to such >practices, but does not seek monetary damages. > >See related articles below: "Publishers Sue >Georgia State on Digital Reading Matter;" "Blog: >(C)ollectanea: Suing Georgia" > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Publishers Sue Georgia State on Digital Reading Matter >by Katie Hafner, New York Times, April 16, 2008 ><http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/technology/16school.html>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/technology/16school.html > >Three prominent academic publishers are suing >Georgia State University, contending that the >school is violating copyright laws by providing >course reading material to students in digital >format without seeking permission from the >publishers or paying licensing fees. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Judge's Ruling in Copyright Case Lets College Off but Not Lecturer >by Andrea Foster, Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus, April 16, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/5m4tb9>http://tinyurl.com/5m4tb9 > >It's a case that has some copyright scholars >scratching their heads. A judge exonerates a >university that is accused of infringing the >copyright of a company's research report. But >the judge rules that an employee of the >university might be culpable of the same >activity. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Blog: Patry - British Copyright Industry's New Perverse Copyright Theory >by Drew Wilson, ZeroPaid.com, April 18, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/6sarct>http://tinyurl.com/6sarct > >"When one makes a private copy of a copyrighted >work for non-commercial purposes, many Americans >think of fair use and end the debate. In >Britain, the copyright industry is responding to >what Americans would classify as "fair use" as >something that should have a licensing fee. " > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Blog: ZeroPaid.com: New Zealand and Germany Reform Copyright Laws in 4 Days >by Drew Wilson, April 21, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/5b6b3c>http://tinyurl.com/5b6b3c > >"Internet Service Providers and the copyright >industry weren't the only ones busy on the >copyright front these days. New Zealand reformed >their copyright laws which was followed up by >Germany four days later." > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Press Release: Copyright Clearance Center >Danvers, Mass., April 24, 2008 ><http://www.copyright.com/ccc/viewPage.do?pageCode=au158>http://www.copyright.com/ccc/viewPage.do?pageCode=au158 > >Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) today announced >a set of major enhancements to Rightsphere, the >company's award-winning rights advisory and >management tool. Driven by input from leading >corporate information managers and librarians, >these changes make it possible to manage complex >rights and licenses with precision and speed. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Press Release: Groups Praise Orphan Works >Legislation Introduced In Senate and House >Public Knowledge, April 24, 2008 ><http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1538>http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1538 > >Public Knowledge, the Internet Archive, >Association of Public Television Stations and >the Association of Research Libraries joined >today to praise the work of Senate and House >legislators for introducing legislation that >would allow for greater use of "orphan works." >Those are books, music, photos or other works >for which the copyright holder can't be found by >someone who wants to use the work in a way that >normally would require permission. > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Blog: Orphan Works 2008: House and Senate Bills Introduced >by Alex Curtis, Public Knowledge, April 24, 2008 ><http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1537>http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1537 > >"Two orphan works bills were introduced to begin >to bring balance back to copyright law--to help >find owners and encourage new and creative uses >of unexploited copyrighted works. Both the U.S. >Senate and House of Representatives have >introduced orphan works legislation (S. 2913, >the Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008, H.R. >5889: The Orphan Works Act of 2008), rooted in >the same language based on the previous Smith >Bill, which was based on the Copyright Office's >recommendation." > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Blog: (C)ollectanea: How to Kill an Orphan Works Bill in 2 Easy Lessons >by Georgia Harper, , April 26, 2008 ><http://tinyurl.com/6zqncr>http://tinyurl.com/6zqncr > >"Public Knowledge (who works tirelessly on >behalf of documentary filmmakers) announced on >Thursday that two bills addressing orphan works >had been introduced: Orphan Works 2008: House >and Senate Bills Introduced. As usual, I urge >you to read the bills. Public Knowledge has >links to both of them. And read Public >Knowledge's assessment. You're not going to get >their type of assessment here." > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >Blog: (C)ollectanea: Suing Georgia >by Georgia Harper, April 26, 2008 ><http://chaucer.umuc.edu/blogcip/collectanea/2008/04/suing_georgia_1.html>http://chaucer.umuc.edu/blogcip/collectanea/2008/04/suing_georgia_1.html > >"I have taken nearly a week to mull over this >case that has been buzzing around the >blogosphere, around email and even in real life, >and I'm glad I did. I think I see it more >clearly now than I did a week ago when the news >first hit. I managed with a little time to >connect it up with everything else in my life, >well, my copyright life." > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ > >US Releases List of Copyright Infringing Nations; India Among Top 9 >domain-b.com, April 27, 2008 ><http://www.domain-b.com/economy/trade/20080426_infringing.html>http://www.domain-b.com/economy/trade/20080426_infringing.html > >The United States on Friday named China and >Russia as among the worst protectors of >intellectual property rights, flooding global >trade with counterfeit items such as DVDs, >designer bags, medicines and software, although >it remarked that notable progress has been made >in the recent past to address these problems. >These assertions were made in the annual >''Special 301'' Report released by the office of >the United States Trade Representative (USTR). > >_______________________________________________________________________________________ >Many thanks to all of our VRA-IPR members who >are monitoring multiple listservs to make this >IPR news posting possible! Please submit any >comments, questions, or suggestions to Jen Green >at jgreen at nhia.edu. > > >Jen Green, Interim Director >New Hampshire Institute of Art >Teti Library
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