RealNetworks filed an antitrust suit against various Hollywood Studios and the DVD Copy Control Association (DVD CCA) claiming that the Studios and DVD CCA are preventing companies from distributing software for legal DVD copying. More here from InformationWeek. The company argues that consumers are able to freely copy their previously purchased DVDs under the ambit [...]

YouTube restored a National Organization of Marriage (NOM) video after contemplating a Perez Hilton issued  Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice. Hilton had reacted to a video by NOM defending pageant contestant Carrie Prejean and criticizing gay marriage activists. In it, NOM used a 3 second clip of Hilton proclaiming, “she’s a dumb b**ch. [...]

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 [...]

I came across an interesting article at Neatorama cataloging the evolution of tech company logos. It made me wonder about the official trademark registration and scope of protection of the Apple Inc. corporate logo. The original Apple logo began as a complex drawing of Isaac Newton seated beneath a tree with a glowing apple overhead. [...]

James Boyle, professor of law and co-founder of the Centre for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke University comments on the content of his book “The Public Domain: enclosing the commons of the mind.” Listen to the MP3 here. Download the book as a .pdf here.

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.