Rights

Video gaming platform Roblox has responded to being hit with a $200 million-plus copyright infringement lawsuit from music publishers, noting its “surprise and disappointment,” at being sued. As a platform powered by a community of creators, we are passionate about protecting intellectual property rights – from independent artists and songwriters, to music labels and publishers – and require all Roblox community members to abide by our Community Rules.

Source: Roblox says $200m+ copyright lawsuit is based on a ‘fundamental misunderstanding’. Music publishers disagree.

Games platform Roblox has enjoyed plenty of positive headlines for its push into music in partnership with labels and artists, but now the company is facing a battle with music publishers over licensing. Yesterday, the US National Music Publishers Association sued Roblox on behalf of a group of publishers, seeking at least $200m in damages for “Roblox’s unabashed exploitation of music without proper licences”.

Source: NMPA sues Roblox in $200m copyright infringement lawsuit – Music Ally

A host of music creator advocacy organizations are gearing up for battle against the American Law Institute’s project to “restate” copyright law. At 5 p.m. ET today (June 8), several sections of the copyright Restatement pertaining to issues including fixation (how a work must be “fixed” in a tangible medium to get protection) and joint authorship go up for a vote in front of the full ALI membership for the first time.

Source: ‘Going to Get Ugly’: Advocates Sound the Alarm Ahead of Copyright ‘Restatement’ Vote

European songwriters are criticizing the lack of progress that some EU states have made towards implementing the Copyright Directive. “Today’s date marks the deadline for EU Member States to implement the 2019 Copyright Directive,” the organization’s message proceeds. “However, only a handful of EU Member States have now effectively transposed the Directive.”

Source: European Songwriters Slam Copyright Directive Implementation Delays

As a private organization, the American Law Institute has the right to engage in work that it thinks will benefit the field of law. Having said that, there is broad concern that the evolution of this project, and the well known bias of the Reporter will result in a misstatement of the law and that, unless stopped, the imprimatur of ALI will lead those less familiar with copyright law to accept the Restatement at face value.

Source: When is a Restatement Not a Restatement? ALI’s Highly Original Copyright Journey

The European Commission on Friday sought to clarify the scope and liability of revised copyright rules adopted last year in an effort to defuse criticism from France, Poland, EU broadcasters and internet activists. The Commission in its policy paper published on Friday said Article 17 would only apply to online service providers and online audio and video streaming service providers which make money from copyrighted work uploaded to their platforms by their users.

Source: EU Commission clarifies revamped copyright rules amid criticism

Warner Music Group (WMG) has signed a strategic global multi-year partnership with music technology company Songclip. The deal will see Songclip use WMG’s catalog on its API, enabling social media users to add clips of licensed music to their online photos and videos in video, dating and gaming apps.

Source: Warner Music Group inks strategic global partnership with music technology company Songclip

Netflix has struck a new long-term exclusive agreement with BMG for the management and administration of its music publishing rights worldwide outside the U.S., the companies announced on Wednesday. The companies forged a similar deal in 2017. Under the arrangement, BMG will serve as Netflix’s exclusive music partner outside the U.S., handling rights and royalties for its original films and series.

Source: Netflix and BMG Strike Long-Term Music Publishing Deal Outside U.S. (EXCLUSIVE)

Australian broadcaster and publisher Nine Entertainment  said it signed multi-year content-supply deals with Google and Facebook Inc., harnessing tough new licensing laws to bolster profit. The step means that all of Australia’s three largest media firms now have deals with U.S. tech giants that had until this year fiercely opposed laws making them negotiate over the fees they pay for the links driving clicks to their platforms.

Source: Australia’s Nine signs Facebook, Google deals under new licensing regime

To Furie, the NFT realm is about more than coin. During the era of Donald Trump, extremist social media users adapted Pepe so often that the Anti-Defamation League deemed it a hate symbol. But the exploding world of crypto-art is allowing the cartoonist to reclaim a character who was never meant to stand for much beyond love, peace, hedonism and altered-state chillaxin’.

Source: Matt Furie is trying to reclaim his famous cartoon Pepe the Frog — through NFTs