Tag Archives: copyright

Digital music cannot be sold secondhand over the Internet, even if the seller deletes the original file, a federal judge ruled last week. The precedent-setting decision handed down by a district court in New York has implications for other digital goods like books and movies as well. “Courts have not previously addressed whether the unauthorized transfer of a digital music file over the Internet – where only one file exists before and after the transfer – constitutes reproduction within the …

Jammie Thomas-Rasset, the woman whom the recording industry martyred with a $222,000 damages award after several trials for stealing music online, has reached the end of her legal rope. The U.S. Supreme Court on Mar. 18 refused to hear her argument that the damages were unconstitutionally excessive.   Excessive Damages? The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to overturn the damages award in September, which meant Thomas-Rasset owed record companies including Capitol Records, Sony BMG, Warner Bros. Records, and …

  All news radio WTOP (103.5 FM and 107.7 FM) in Washington, D.C. interviewed Lawyers.com Editor-in-Chief Larry Bodine on Internet viral sensation the “Harlem Shake.” Read the WTOP article below. You can also listen to the radio interview in the accompanying audio podcast. ‘Harlem Shake’ artists unlikely to win copyright suit, lawyer says by Neal Augenstein, wtop.com WASHINGTON – Two recording artists whose music was sampled in the viral Internet hit “Harlem Shake” would likely not win if they took …

  When Venus the two-tone cat became an Internet sensation, her owner realized she should get a copyright lawyer. As reported by field producer Amber Statler-Matthews of Lawyers.com, the owner wanted to use the cat’s image to sell products and support animal rescue groups. She called intellectual property lawyer Nancy Flint of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Flint explains that once you create a picture, video or poem you hold the copyright. But you cannot enforce your copyright unless you register it …

Kanye West: A-list hip-hop star, among the top-selling artists of the 21st century and most awarded singers of all time…and song thief? Not so, according to a decision by the federal 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. West was facing a lawsuit for copyright violation filed by one Vincent Peters, also known as Vince P, alleging that the rap superstar had stolen the idea for his 2007 hit “Stronger” from another song by the same name written by …