December, 2019

Justice Department investigates Sci-Hub founder on suspicion of working for Russian intelligence

December 23, 2019By rightstech

The Justice Department is investigating a woman who runs a major Internet piracy operation on suspicion that she may also be working with Russian intelligence to steal U.S. military secrets from defense contractors. Alexandra Elbakyan, a computer programmer born in Kazakhstan, is the creator of Sci-Hub, a website that provides free access to academic papers that are usually available only through expensive subscriptions.

Source: Justice Department investigates Sci-Hub founder on suspicion of working for Russian intelligence

Vietnamese music industry seeks better enforcement of copyright laws

December 23, 2019By rightstech

Better enforcement of the laws covering music copyright protection is needed to ensure the development of the Vietnamese music industry in the digital era, speakers said at a recent seminar in HCM City. Dinh Trung Can, vice director of the Vietnam Centre for Protection of Music Copyright (VCPMC), said that most promoters and performers in Vietnam wanted to avoid paying copyright fees.

Source: Music industry seeks better enforcement of copyright laws | Culture – Sports | Vietnam+ (VietnamPlus)

Sale of second-hand e-books infringes copyright, rules CJEU

December 23, 2019By rightstech

The EU’s highest court has ruled that the exhaustion of copyright does not apply to e-books. In a highly-anticipated decision, issued today, December 19, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) held that offering ‘second-hand’ e-books for sale qualifies as an unauthorised “communication to the public” under the 2001 InfoSoc Directive.

Source: Sale of second-hand e-books infringes copyright, rules CJEU

Droit d’A.I.?

December 20, 2019By rightstech

The World Intellectual Property Organization this week issued a request for comments on whether copyright, patents or other intellectual property rights could or should be extended to works produced by artificial intelligence. The notice comes as part of a public consultation the United Nations agency launched back in September, and the comments will be used to refine its working draft (pdf) of the topics and questions to be addressed in the next, formal policy-development phase of the consultation beginning in May 2020.

Source: Droit d’A.I.?

Labels & Publishers Win $1 Billion Piracy Lawsuit Against Cox Communications

December 20, 2019By rightstech

Cox Communications was found liable for the piracy infringement of more than 10,000 musical works by a U.S. District Court jury in Virginia on Thursday (Dec. 19), awarding $1 billion statutory damages to plaintiffs Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and EMI.

Source: Labels & Publishers Win $1 Billion Piracy Lawsuit Against Cox Communications

Tickets Industry Lines Up Around Blockchain

December 19, 2019By rightstech

On Dec. 9, Ticketmaster’s vice president of blockchain products and Upgraded’s former CEO, Sandy Khaund, discussed how Ticketmaster is currently leveraging blockchain for use cases that are being piloted. “We are writing specific code for each ticket we sell and then running that on a private blockchain,” Khaund said.

Source: Tickets Industry Lines Up Around Blockchain

Is Trump Preparing to Order Public Access to Taxpayer Funded Research?

December 19, 2019By rightstech

In a press release this week, the Association of American Publishers shared the concerns of more than 125 scholarly society and research organizations in opposition to a potential Trump administration executive order that could potentially achieve something with the stroke of a sharpie that open access advocates have been unsuccessfully pushing legislatively for years—free access to publicly funded research.

Source: Is Trump Preparing to Order Public Access to Taxpayer Funded Research?

How Blockchain is Helping Bring Fine Art to Buildings

December 19, 2019By rightstech

The use of blockchain to prove the provenance of artworks and enhance their worth has grown worldwide. It has also made acquiring fine art for buildings even more attractive for owners and developers looking to add this rarefied amenity to their properties.

Source: How Blockchain is Helping Bring Fine Art to Buildings | Propmodo

Radio License Committee Tells DOJ to Buzz Off In Battle With Irving Azoff Over Songwriter Payments

December 19, 2019By rightstech

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice sided with super-manager Irving Azoff’s performing rights organization, Global Music Rights (GMR), in a battle with the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) over how much money radio stations owe songwriters. Now, the RMLC is essentially telling the DOJ to buzz off.

Source: Radio License Committee Tells DOJ to Buzz Off In Battle With Irving Azoff Over Songwriter Payments

Maria Strong Is Named Acting Register of Copyrights

December 18, 2019By rightstech

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced today that she has appointed Maria Strong as Acting Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, effective January 5, 2020. She succeeds Register of Copyrights Karyn A. Temple, who announced last week that she will be leaving the Copyright Office to accept a new position in the private sector.

Source: Maria Strong Is Named Acting Register of Copyrights