@rupertmurdoch No excuses for phone hacking. No argument. No excuses either for copyright stealing, but plenty of ignorant argument! There are no excuses for copyright “stealing” — nor are there excuses for falling for the fallacy of invincible ignorance. A New Zealand judge denied bail to Kim Dotcom earlier this week, the founder of cyberlocker Megaupload. This means that […]
Copyright
Attacking privacy under the cover of ‘cyber war’
The conflation of very different forms of online activity underlies the use of “cyber war” as a pretext for reducing privacy and funding contractors.
Cyberspace freedom … except where they upset the copyright industry
The Obama Administration’s Cyberspace strategy places heavy emphasis on freedom, but in practice it’s only as much freedom as the copyright industry wants
Federal government on privacy: do as I say, not as I do
The federal government is threatening to impose tighter laws on corporations over privacy breaches. But it’s not in a position of moral authority …
US renews secret push to impose its failed copyright regime
Having failed to use the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement to impose a draconian intellectual property regime, the US is using a “free trade” agreement involving Australia to do the same.
‘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.
The copyright industry’s war on filesharing: outsourced and ineffectual
The copyright industry has changed tactics in its war on filesharing but it’s still not working, even as it hits legitimate internet users.
Data download: lies, damned lies and piracy reports
Illegal downloading will cost the industry over $5 billion by 2016 and “8000 fewer jobs in the core content industries last year”, according to a report in Fairfax papers. But that’s not telling the whole story.
Internet hijackers: stealing content and avoiding blame
Why did Time.com and Politico, two well respected news sites, completely violate copyright and publish the infamous Rolling Stone McChrystal profile on their sites?
PHOTO GALLERY: The mystery of the reoccurring newspaper prop
Film geeks noticed that the same newspaper kept popping up in film and television from the last few decades. Is it an inside joke for propmasters or just that its the easiest prop newspaper around?
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.
Google picks on Australian start-up
Google has sent a cease and desist letter to Australian alcohol price comparison website Groggle.com.au, telling it to hand over the domain name.
Is this the downfall of Downfall parodies?
The movie studio behind the German film-turned-internet-meme Downfall has started removing the parodies off YouTube. Wait until Hitler finds out about this…
Has the world run out of good band names?
A band’s name can make or break its career, but thanks to the internet, an increasing number of acts are discovering their witty moniker isn’t quite as original as they’d first thought.
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.
Pecking holes in the Men At Work vs. Kookaburra case
Have you ever actually listened to Land Down Under and thought: “Ah yes, the flute part is the kookaburra song”? asks Leaping Larry L. In fact, have you ever even noticed there was a flute before?
iiTrial: ISPs not responsible for users’ copyright infringement
A landmark ruling in Australia’s Federal Court today has cleared internet service provider iiNet from responsibility for its users’ illegal file sharing.
SBS v Crikey: SBS pursues legal action over “the world game”
The battle between SBS and your very own Crikey has progressed, but sadly is about to be aborted by Crikey agreeing to change the tag for that section of its site that has been (until today) aggregating coverage of soccer under the tag “the world game”.
Just whose world game is it anyway?
SBS claims that Crikey’s use of a content tag “the world game” on articles about soccer is a breach of its property rights. Can an organisation really own such a common phrase?
Is colour a limited resource?
The colour palette is shrinking as brands stake their claim, bit-by-bit, on the exclusive rights to individual tones. You already can’t use Jay-Z blue, or T-Mobile’s magenta. Are we literally selling off the rainbow?
“Monopoly ruined my life!”
83-year-old economics professor Ralph Anspac has spent the better part of his life locked in battle with Monopoly-maker Hasbro over the rights to sell his own game called Anti-Monopoly, and to expose what he says is the “true” history of the boardgame.
Why AFACT v iiNet is important
iiNet is battling AFACT over illegal sharing of copyright films, tv and music via peer-to-peer networks, and the implications will be wide reaching. Who is responsible for the content of internet traffic?
Oh Pooh! Disney wins Winnie case
Walt Disney Co. has confirmed its right to exploit the Winnie the Pooh characters, after winning an 18-year battle with The Slesinger family. Sorry purists, the newer plastic fantastic version of Winnie is here to stay.
How Google bought our literary heritage for a bargain
Last year’s controversial court settlement that allows Google Books to scan and publish millions of books for only $125m gives the company a “stranglehold on mankind’s literary heritage”, says John Naughton. Have we sold-off our culture?
