Our copyright law is a wondrous complex beast, and even apparently simple tweaks carry the potential for significant unintended consequences, writes Kimberlee Weatherall, an associate professor in Sydney University’s Faculty of Law.
Copyright law
‘Arrogant’ Apple faces copyright suit over iPhone app content
Apple is back in the Federal Court tomorrow, facing a copyright infringement claim from Australian TV production company Jigsaw Entertainment. The precedent could be significant.
My Cup Of Tea: A question of red tape: iiNet and the Fringe dwellers of arts
While small arts companies struggle with red tape, the big end of town wants more regulation. The juxtaposition will shape future arts policy.
Could WikiLeaks be prosecuted under copyright law?
Any copyright action leveled against WikiLeaks for the release of a quarter of a million secret United States government cables would be a “grotesque misuse” of copyright law, says an expert in intellectual property.
‘Stick It Up Your Junta’ could go way of the dodo
Yesterday the Federal Court found that, despite the skill involved, there is no copyright in headlines — the first time anywhere in the world that a court has fully considered whether copyright is breached when newspaper articles are abstracted and aggregated. The implications are immense.
How frugal Fitness First is creating a market for fake pop stars
Aussie gyms are now required to pay royalties for original songs played in their aerobic classes. But instead of coughing up the cash, they’ve replaced the top 40 tracks with budget brand cover versions.
Riffing on the Down Under decision
Colin Hay may be a great musician, but his claim that it took almost two decades for anyone to notice that Land Down Under sounds a little bit like Kookaburra is absurd, says Tim Dunlop.
Literary Adelaide the scene of a journos’ dust-up
There is a dust-up in literary Adelaide, with leading editorial contributors to the Adelaide Review severing its connections with the publication amid disputes over payment.
The copyright outrage the geeks forgot to mention
The tech community hasn’t done much of a job of persuading mainstream Australia that proposed internet censorship laws are a bad idea, despite their potentially crippling effect on freedom of speech, writes Angus Kidman.
Crikey Says: SBS v Crikey: game on
SBS claims that Crikey is profiting from the term “the world game” by selling our tea towels, socks and other paraphernalia off the back of their brand. To which we say, get your hand off it SBS, we’ve got Kevin Rudd’s pets.
Why Twitter can’t trademark the tweet
Last month, Twitter founder Biz Stone announced that the company had applied to trademark the word “tweet”, causing much consternation in the blogosphere. But what he didn’t mention, explains Sam Johnston is that they’ve already tried — and failed.
Who owns green technology?
How do we keep emerging green technologies affordable and accessible to the developing world when they’re being developed by companies so consumed in the culture of the almighty copyright? Five experts share their ideas.
AP: enemy of freedom or just misunderstood?
The internet exploded in a storm of indignation with news that the Associated Press plans to digitally track and protect all its online content. But is the AP really the greedy News Nazi it’s being made out to be?
