Copyright, Piracy & Counterfeit News

US Patent Office Seeks Public Comment on Anti-Piracy

Counterfeit Products / June 2, 2023

In a recently published Federal Register notice, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is asking the public for ideas about addressing an immeasurable challenge—that of thwarting counterfeiting and piracy in the U.S. Public Comments and Discussion on Anti-piracy and Anti-counterfeiting Solutions Comments about anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy measures can be made until August 23, …

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Europe Calls Out Countries for Lack of Copyright Enforcement

In response to the increased levels of online piracy, which may in part be due to the pandemic, the European Commission wants all countries to block offending websites. They have just released their biannual listing of countries with weak copyright policies. The commission has named thirteen countries that they believe need to make more …

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Spinrilla Mixtape Site Guilty of Copyright Infringement

Spinrilla, a popular platform for creating hip-hop mixtapes, accused of copyright infringement by the “Big Three” record companies, has shut down after it agreed to pay out USD $50 million to settle the case. Judge Finds Spinrilla Liable for Copyright Infringement The Atlanta, Georgia division of the U.S. District Court, Judge Amy Totenberg presiding, ordered …

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Industry Lost 2 Trillion Yen to Manga Piracy in 2021

Book Piracy, Music Piracy, Video Piracy / May 6, 2023

According to a recently released report by the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), which is based in Japan, Japanese entertainment piracy in 2021, which included music, anime, manga and video games, cost these industries ¥1.9 to ¥2.2 trillion yen (US $14.2-$16.5 billion). This study, which is based on requests and questionnaires from consumers, shows a …

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Court Decides Ed Sheeran Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

On Thursday, a jury deliberated for three hours and found musician Ed Sheeran not guilty of copying Marvin Gaye’s 1973 composition, “Let’s Get It On” when writing his 2014 song, “Thinking Out Loud.” It was a unanimous decision—a requirement for this particular copyright case. The 32-year-old British singer previously announced that if he were found …

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Piracy Crackdown Nets Disney and Major Studios $30M

A coalition of studios and production houses, in their long battle to protect copyrights and fight piracy, have won a case against the defendant. Dwayne Johnson, who operates two illegal streaming sites, has been ordered to pay the plaintiffs $30 million. As per court filings, the parties agreed to resolve the lawsuit, which also states …

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Zippyshare File-sharing Piracy Enabler Shuts After 17 Years

In what is a devastating loss to the world’s file-sharers, the legendary Zippyshare will be shutting down at the end of the month. Since 2006, this popular cyber-locker service, like other file-sharing sites such as Megaupload, was frequently used for the storage of unauthorized music downloads and was often a target for anti-piracy efforts. Cloud …

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Is Generative AI Content Eligible for Copyright Protection?

The U.S. Copyright Office has released a statement about material generated by artificial intelligence (AI). The policy guidelines state that for generative AI to be eligible for U.S. copyright protection, it must have been authored by humans, and each case would be evaluated before granting this protection What Qualifies for AI Copyright Protection? Much like …

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Earth Wind & Fire Legacy Band Sued for Trademark Infringement

Trademark Infringement / March 10, 2023

An Earth, Wind & Fire “legacy” group has been named in a trademark infringement lawsuit brought by the official band, for using its name and trademarks to trick consumers into purchasing concert tickets to what many consumers believe is the real Earth, Wind & Fire. Promoters Sued for Trademark Infringement Promoters, which include Stellar Communications …

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Copyright Claims Board’s First Case Sides with Photographer

On February 28, the Copyright Claims Board (CCB) decided in favor of photographer David Oppenheimer, who had sued Douglas Prutton, a lawyer, who used a photo of his without permission. This was the first case and ruling for the CCB. History of the Copyright Claims Board The CCB, created in 2021, gives photographers a way …