SCOTUS Opinion Highlights The Importance Of Fair Use To Benefit The Public. Re:Create compiled key portions of the U.S Supreme Court’s majority opinion in the Google v. Oracle decision to demonstrate fair use’s importance in benefiting the public. Justice Breyer emphasized copyright law’s purpose to encourage innovation and promote creativity — not to create a “special reward.”
Viral Video Helps Woman Save Small Retail Business. When a California businesswoman worried she would have to close her women’s clothing store, she created a TikTok video to showcase one of her own dress designs. The video reached over 60,000 views and generated interest in purchases from around the globe. As a result she has renewed her store lease for another five years and even has plans to expand her business.
Laid Off Restaurant Workers Launch New Careers On Instagram. While many chefs and bakers have launched pop-up food service businesses while out of work during the pandemic, Eater reports their front-of-house hospitality colleagues have also turned to Instagram to launch new careers outside of the restaurant industry, “leveraging its built-in audience to make money during the pandemic and focus on personal interests outside of restaurant work. Some have even turned selling items on Instagram into a full-time job.” Whether selling antique glassware or painting portraits, former restaurant workers are finding new opportunities to earn incomes online.
Covid Boredom, Bananas, Social Media Lead Artist To Raise Funds For Charity. While bored during quarantine, London artist Anna Chojnicka discovered a way to make art using banana peels. When she started posting her creations to Twitter and Instagram, she received such a strong response that Chojnicka says she “saw an opportunity to put it to some work.” Using the site JustGiving, she has raised money to provide food for people in need and help address energy shortages in Ethiopia.
Content Creators Help Fans With Mental Health Challenges. The Washington Post looks at how content creators can serve as an outlet for viewers and fans struggling with mental health issues. With loneliness and anxiety so prevalent during the pandemic, popular streamers, gamers and other online creators have provided a unique comfort for people during times of isolation. Likewise, many content creators have a genuine concern for their viewers and are encouraging them to take steps to better their mental health through therapy and other professional resources. “When I look at a person reaching out to a content creator, I don’t see them doing something wrong so much as doing the only thing they can do, or [turning to] the only person they can go to,” said one creator.