U.S. Copyright Office Holding Section 512 Roundtable On April 8. The U.S. Copyright Office will hold a public roundtable for its study on section 512 on April 8 at the Library of Congress’s Madison Building in Washington, D.C. Stay tuned for more from the Re:Create Coalition as stakeholders prepare to participate in strong support for the current DMCA safe harbor provisions that enable online platforms that support creativity and economic growth.
Level Of Opposition To EU Copyright Directive Breaks Records. In the lead up to the final vote on the EU’s controversial Copyright Directive scheduled for next week, a blog by Cory Doctorow draws attention to the fact that the Directive is the “most controversial issue in EU history.” He supported his argument by noting opposition to it has broken records highlighting that the change.org petition opposing it has drawn more signatures than any others in change.org’s history. Doctorow also alerted readers to the critical political timing of the vote: “The Copyright Directive vote is practically the last thing MEPs will do before they head home to start campaigning for EU elections in May, so they’re very sensitive to voters right now!”.
Another Fair Use Win In The Courtroom. In yet another win for fair use, Montana Judge Dana L. Christensen sided with the Republican National Committee (RNC), ruling its unauthorized use of a photograph to criticize a candidate was protected by fair use. In the ruling on the 2017 lawsuit brought by Montana photographer Erika Peterman, the court found the RNC’s use of an image in a mailer criticizing the candidate had “transformed the work and had not undermined Peterson’s ability to profit from the image in the future.”
Instagram: The New Fashion Resale Bazaar. The Minnesota Star-Tribune profiled Kate Lindello, the woman behind the curated, Instagram-based clothing resale shop Noihsaf Bazaar. 21,600 users follow the account to buy and resell a curated selection of high-end clothing and accessories. Lindello operates the account from her home in Duluth, Minnesota, charging a small seller’s fee for her time and expanding the business into separate menswear, kids and vintage accounts. Buyers and sellers across the country then communicate via Instagram and pay using PayPal. All together, Lindello sold over 43,000 pieces last year. “I don’t want Noihsaf to be this precious style site,” she said. “I want it to be an organic tool for seeing, finding and cultivating style…whether you live in the middle of nowhere, a metropolis or a suburb.”