What started as a preemptive suit has blossomed into a full-fledged Copyright infringement case. On May 18, 2009 Cosmic Debris, Etc. Inc, filed a suit in a California Northern District Court seeking a declaratory judgment that Emily the Strange lacks originality and is a “unique variation on a concept.” Less than a month later, “Nate the [...]

“60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye,” a novel written by Fredrik Colting under the pen name J.D. California was banned from publication by a United States District Court on July 1, 2009. The complaint, found here, claims copyright infringement (including unauthorized use of the Holden Caulfield character and violation of exclusive rights to create [...]

Considering the recent tussle over Google’s Book Search settlement, one might be interested in just how Google is capable of scanning books en masse to its digital library. NPR recently posted this interesting review of Google’s scanning technology and a brief history of scanning techniques generally.

Google’s Director of Product Management for Book Search speaks out via the Public Policy Blog (Google) amid antitrust concerns over the proposed author settlement. In 2005, the Authors Guild, the Association of American Publishers and numerous authors and publishers filed a class action lawsuit against Google Book Search claiming copyright infringment. Google initially expressed its [...]

The Pirate Bay founders are found guilty, sentenced to a year in jail, and ordered to cough up $3.6 million (30 million kronor). I think it’s time to file an appeal. More here.

The Organization for Transformative Works (OTW) recently launched. OTW is “a nonprofit organization established by fans to serve the interests of fans by providing access to and preserving the history of fanworks and fan culture in its myriad forms.” OTC promotes creativity by pushing the boundaries of copyright protection. The volunteer-based organization supports fanworks as [...]