RIP Sean Connery
Fake, I know, but I often think it’s exactly what he would have said.
Month: October 2020
It’s A Leak: Google’s Double Super Secret European Lobbying Order of Battle Against a Level Playing Field
According to two separate sources, Google’s secret attack plan against Europe’s planned Digital Services Act has leaked. According to French publication Le Point (“How Google Wants to Bend Brussels“): Le Point is aware of a document (which Google has neither confirmed nor denied) which appears to be a presentation intended to mobilize the search engine’s […]
The Cost of Evil: How Facebook Ripped Off @zoecello’s Fans
In the “you fight me, you fight my gang” department, Zoë Keating and her extraordinarily loyal fans were the subject of an outright fraud on Facebook described in her tweet above. In short–due to COVID, Zoë had to cancel a live concert originally scheduled on August 30. No live stream had been planned. Scammers must have […]
United States v. Google: Public Access To First Status Conference
The first hearing in US v Google antitrust case is scheduled for Friday 10/30/20 at 10 am ET. You can dial in to listen only (you will be muted) on the court’s public access line at (877) 848-7030, access code 321-8747.
The Safe Harbor We Actually Need: Pandemic Liability
We need Congress to implement a nation-wide limitation on liability for live events that are responsibly managed.
It Finally Happened: United States v. Google Demonstrates the Real Value Gap
The United States of America, acting under the direction of the Attorney General of the United States, and the States of Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina, and Texas, acting through their respective Attorneys General, bring this action under Section 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2, to […]
Controlled Compositions Clauses and Frozen Mechanicals
BMG announced they will be rolling back at least some aspects of what’s called “controlled compositions” clauses in (presumably) their record deals. This is good, and is another example of how BMG is setting the gold standard for courageously defending their writers. Don’t forget, BMG sued Cox Communications for failing to maintain a repeat infringer […]
The Supreme Court Should See Through Google’s Industrial-Strength Fair Use Charade
Google’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court of two Federal Circuit decisions in Oracle’s favor is turning into the most consequential copyright case of the court’s term — if not the decade. The appeal turns in part on whether the Supreme Court will uphold the Federal Circuit’s definition of fair use for creators and reject Google’s dubious assertion of “industrial strength” fair use.
Spotify’s Got Another Artist Relations Issue: Joe Rogan
Remember when Spotify bought Joe Rogan’s podcast and signed him to deliver futures? Big money, big press release. Big chuckles in some quarters, why? Welcome to the world of artist relations, Mr. Ek. Here’s a suggestion. When you sign an artist who you know is controversial going in, expect…you know…controversy. Is that really so hard […]
