Copyright Law

Supreme Court Will Hear a Case Concerning Music Copyright Law

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review an appeals court decision and answer the question of whether the circuit court discovery accrual rule or the Copyright Act’s statute of limitations (17 U.S.C. § 507(b)) should govern whether a music...
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Prominent Authors Look to Protect Copyrights From AI Companies

More than 15,000 authors, including Dan Brown, Margaret Atwood, and James Patterson, and their supporters have signed an open letter drafted by the Authors Guild to AI companies, imploring them to get writers’ permission before using copyrighted material to enhance...
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Why Has Taylor Swift Been Rerecording Her Old Albums?

You have to listen hard to hear the more luxuriant twangs from the opening banjoes or the extra beat in the lyric, but Taylor Swift is on a mission to re-record her old songs, including 2008’s “Love Story,” the song...
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The Push for Royalties From Traditional Radio Stations

A bipartisan bill to compensate artists when their songs are played on FM/AM radio stations instead of just on digital music platforms, is gaining some traction in Congress. It was first introduced in June 2021, although a second bill reintroduced...
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Ed Sheeran Wins Copyright Infringement Case Against the Estate of Marvin Gaye

On March 4, 2023, a New York federal jury concluded that the popular British music artist Ed Sheeran is not liable for copyright infringement after lengthy litigation to settle a lawsuit. It took the jury less than three hours to...
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Starz Sues MGM for Copyright Infringement

Starz Entertainment, LLC Starz filed a lawsuit in May of 2020 with the Los Angeles federal court claiming MGM Domestic Television Distribution, LLC violated copyright interests within two separate agreements. The case results from Starz paying MGM approximately $70 million...
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Copyright Expiration Opens the Door for Winnie-the-Pooh Horror Film

The Winnie-the-Pooh copyright expired in January of 2022, making the characters from that beloved book series available for use by the public. United States copyright laws protect ownership rights for 70 years after the creator's death or 95 years after...
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Can I Copyright a Speech or Poem if it Only Exists as Spoken Word?

Speeches and poems are examples of intellectual property for which a creator can seek out copyright protection from the United States Copyright Office (USCO). Properly following the registration process is the only way to ensure your ownership of a speech...
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Jazz Composer Claims YouTube Protects Only the Most Powerful Copyright Holders

The 2020 copyright infringement lawsuit that jazz composer Maria Schneider filed against YouTube highlights the crucial role that well-crafted entertainment contracts play when accusations continue to fly, and parties ask for summary judgment. California U.S. District Court Judge James Donato...
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Game Company Violated Child Privacy Laws

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) enlists parents in controlling what information companies collect from children online with assistance from the Federal Trade Commission’s enacted regulations. COPPA is codified as 15 United States Code §§ 6501-6506. The Better Business...
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