The San Francisco Music Tech Summit is offering discount registration for a limited time. Until Friday, November 6, 2009, prices for admission (not including fees) are “Absurdly Low”: General Admission: $129.00; Developer: $99.00; Full-time Working Musician: $79.00. This year’s event is being held on Monday, December 7, 2009 (9am-6pm + cocktails) at the Hotel Kabuki [...]

In an effort to “call attention to particularly bogus takedowns — and showcase the amazing online videos and other creative works that someone doesn’t want you to see,” the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) recently launched the Takedown Hall of Shame. EFF collected some of the most egregious incidents of internet bullying (via DMCA takedown notices) [...]

National Public Radio issued a cease and desist letter to the Yes on One/Stand for Marriage Maine campaign alleging that a 30 second segment used in an anti-gay marriage advertisement was copyright infringement.  Asserting that the complaint was “ridiculous and frivolous,” Scott Fish, spokesman for the campaign to repeal the gay marriage law in Maine, [...]

The China Written Works Copyright Society (CWWCS) is the latest in a string of domestic and international groups to criticize Google’s effort to create a digital library. While it hails from a country that flippantly enforces international copyrights, the group is the first Chinese entity to publicly criticize the Google project and also encourages drastic [...]

A West L.A. art collector, who reportedly could recoup $25 million for 11 stolen Andy Warhol paintings would rather waive the money than deal with hassle of investigation. From LA Times. Entertainment Lawyer Chad Fitzgerald weighs in on the copyright suit involving Chris Rock’s documentary Good Hair, noting, “[the plaintiff] will have a steep uphill [...]

German Chancellor Angela Merkel took the opportunity to promote international co-operation for copyright protection prior to the Frankfurt Book Fair. In her weekly video podcast, the Chancellor criticized Google’s digital library as creating a serious threat to copyright holders on the internet. Said Merkel, “The German government has a clear position: copyrights have to be [...]

The GNU General Public License (GPL) is is a free, copyleft license for software and other kinds of works. Intended to promote development by ensuring open distribution and modification, the GNU General Public License Preamble notes, The licenses for most software and other practical works are designed to take away your freedom to share and [...]

Unknown da Vinci painting unveiled via fingerprinting. Value increases from $19,000 (purchase price) to above $160 million. From CNN. Record labels suffering from power of technology, artists, and consumers seek a new business model. From MediaShift (PBS). Yoko Ono promotes Creative Commons licensing with remix contest. From boingboing. Contest here. Micro-brewer sued for Trademark infringement [...]