Re:Create To Host Copyright Event On June 20. The Re:Create Coalition will host “How It Works: Understanding Copyright Law in the New Creative Economy” on June 20 at the Capitol Visitor Center. The internet powers the local and national economy, enabling more than $8 trillion in e-commerce each year. At a time when online creativity is flourishing, Re:Create is convening a panel of policy experts and creators–including Medium’s Alex Feerst, OTW’s Legal Director Betsy Rosenblatt, Google’s Senior Policy Counsel Katherine Oyama, and YouTube star Becky “Boop” Prince–to examine the rise of the new creative economy and how copyright law can strike the right balance to promote innovation and economic growth. RSVP here to join us for lunch and attend the panel.
LA Times Ed Board: Music Sampling Crucial To Creativity. The Los Angeles Times Editorial Board praises a recent appeals court ruling that granted artists the right to freely copy a “de minimis” amount of recorded music in a new song in Appeals court cuts music samplers some slack. While the exact definition of “de minimis” will be left to future jurists, The Los Angeles Times calls the ruling a “welcome return to a long-established copyright-law principle that should lead to more music being created and more sonic innovation.” The Electronic Frontier Foundation also featured the case in a June 3 blog post, summarizing the judge’s ruling and how the culture of permission/payment for sampling stifles creativity in the industry.
What Is The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)? Wired provides a primer on the DMCA, a balanced anti-piracy law that has been manipulated by the entertainment industry to control copyrighted works. The article examines how companies have used the DMCA’s Sections 1201 and 512 to derail competition and censor free speech, from bogus takedown notices to refusals to unlock software on John Deere tractors and Volkswagen cars.
California Contemplates Copyright For Public Records. California is currently considering a law which would claim copyright protections for public records, including government documents and videos. Under the U.S. Copyright Act, the federal government is prohibited from copyrighting works, but the rules are murkier for state and local governments. Columbia Journalism Review’s Jonathan Peters concludes in a June 2 report that the proposed state law would have a “chilling” effect on public debate, leading to less discourse and even censorship.
3D Scans Can’t Be Copyrighted. A new white paper from 3D printing services bureau and marketplace Shapeways examines how copyright does and does not apply to 3D scans. The scans are often used as digital assets for 3D printing or for other digital mediums such as virtual reality. Based on Shapeways’ white paper, Scott Grunewald explains in a June 6 3D Print article that 3D scans are closer to a photocopy than a photograph, in legal terms, because the scan is a reproduction of the original.