Grokster Loses to MGM
Today saw the end of one of the biggest cases in file sharing since Napster. If you aren’t interested in filesharing, americas effect on the world, your legal rights or what goes on in the world around you, now is the time to stop reading.
Blogs all of the internet are buzzing with opinions on the MGM versus Grokster case. Now before you read my thoughts on what has gone down, please go and read the yahoo news story. It is located here.
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Washington, DC – Today the Supreme Court issued a ruling that could impede makers of all kinds of technologies with expensive lawsuits. The long-awaited decision in MGM v. Grokster states that P2P software manufacturers can be held liable for the infringing activities of people who use their software. This decision relies on a new theory of copyright liability that measures whether manufacturers created their wares with the “intent” of inducing consumers to infringe. It means that inventors and entrepreneurs will not only bear the costs of bringing new products to market, but also the costs of lawsuits if consumers start using their products for illegal purposes.
“Today the Supreme Court has unleashed a new era of legal uncertainty on America’s innovators,” said Fred von Lohmann, EFF’s senior intellectual property attorney. “The newly announced inducement theory of copyright liability will fuel a new generation of entertainment industry lawsuits against technology companies. Perhaps more important, the threat of legal costs may lead technology companies to modify their products to please Hollywood instead of consumers.”
The Supreme Court has also ordered the lower court to consider whether peer-to-peer companies Grokster and StreamCast can be held liable under the new standard. StreamCast is confident that it will pass muster under the new, multi-pronged test.
MGM v. Grokster was brought by 28 of the world’s largest entertainment companies against the makers of the Morpheus, Grokster, and KaZaA filesharing software products in 2001. The entertainment companies hoped to obtain a legal precedent that would hold all technology makers responsible for the infringements committed by the users of their products. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), along with StreamCast counsel Matt Neco and Charles Baker of Porter and Hedges, defended StreamCast Networks, the company behind the Morpheus filesharing software.
The entertainment companies lost their case in District Court, then lost again on appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The lower court rulings were based on the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the 1984 Sony Betamax case, which determined that Sony was not liable for copyright violations by users of the Betamax VCR.
Court Ruling [PDF]
Great Commentry on the Ruling
EFF Press Release (Article Quoted Above)
Key Quotes
The US military trial of two Marines, accused of a brutal attack last year on a young Australian in a Townsville nightclub, has dropped charges against one and acquitted the other. Despite the attack occurring in Townsville and the Marines being arrested and charged there, the case was not dealt with in Australia. Instead the suspects were transferred to the US to be dealt with by a military court. The Townsville student never had the chance to give evidence against them in the Military Court and he was not even told by either the US or Australian Governments of the acquittal. Further, the father of the injured boy was also told by an American investigator that one of the Marines had made a confession. The Australian Government has asked the US for a ‘full report’ of the matter. [Link]
Forbes has a fricking cool article on what you’d have to do to actually become batman. Remember… he isn’t superhuman… he’s not like spiderman or superman… he’s just an ordinary guy with a lot of money.
High Resolution Footage of Australia has Arrived :D Google maps has been in the US for about 6 months… but today its finally gone and got some footage of Australia. I found my house… my work… my uni… everything. Its so damn cool. I’ll leave you with a shot of brisbane city. You can zoom in twice as far as this. I could pick my own house out pretty easily!
US troops not only above International Law!
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA BATMAN?
NEW YORK – Dark clouds have gathered over Gotham. Crime is rampant, despair is widespread and no one is safe. Who will rescue the metropolis from itself, fight the forces of evil and save the good people of the city?
Google Maps Reaches Australia!
[Link to start you off with]
To navigate just click and drag, or double click to centre, or use the lame ass arrows.
The slider allows you to zoom in and out!
Family Guy Movie CONFIRMED!
Fox has announced that they’ll release “Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story” on September 27. This 83-minute unrated direct-to-DVD title will follow Stewie as he sets out in search of his real father. Special features will include deleted scenes, still galleries, animatics, and a commentary featuring Seth MacFarlane.
A vintage blue taxicab converted into a seagoing vessel and carrying several Cuban immigrants was intercepted Tuesday off Key West by the Coast Guard, a television station reported.
