[This post originally appeared on Techdirt.] It was just a few years ago when Apple used the moron in a hurry test to defend itself against a trademark suit, but their own legal department seems to have forgotten about it already. Apple has sent a cease and desist letter to […]
Law
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[This post originally appeared on Techdirt.] FACIL, a free software advocacy group based in Quebec, recently filed a lawsuit against the provincial government (via Michael Geist) for favoring proprietary software without considering the free and open source alternatives. This story got plenty of attention a few weeks ago, but it’s […]
Michael Wesch has an amazing video called An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube. Though it’s well worth watching the full hour, I wanted to highlight a particular moment which really stood out for me. The overlay of the video, Us (which is already a remix of Regina Spektor and popular films), […]
I’m proud to be a member of both the Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) and the Canadian Music Creators Coalition (CMCC). Both organizations have expressed their disappointment with Bill C-61. It’s not that hard, really, but it’s noteworthy since the bill is supposed to be “protecting artists.” The SAC is […]
Given the tabing of Bill C-61 this week (aka “the Canadian DMCA”), I’ve decided to put the coverage in context with some practical examples and questions. Under the new legislation: It will be illegal for anyone in my house to watch a DVD on a computer, since we run GNU/Linux […]
[This post originally appeared on Techdirt.] Hockey Night in Canada is an award-winning program that airs on Saturday nights on CBC Television featuring eccentric hosts, Ron MacLean and Don Cherry. The show has been broadcast on television weekly since 1952 (Wikipedia claims it’s the “oldest sports-related television program still on […]
The problems with DMCA takedown notices have been clear for a while, but… laser printers? From the New York Times (via Bruce Schneier): A new study from the University of Washington suggests that media industry trade groups are using flawed tactics in their investigations of users who violate copyrights on […]
Facebook officially launched the Facebook Open Platform yesterday, but the question everyone is asking now is, “CPAL? What’s that?.” Matt Asay calls it a poison pill. The Common Public Attribution License (CPAL) is based on the Mozilla Public License, but with two notable changes. First, the “ASP loophole” has been […]
(Update: This has been reposted on Techdirt.) ASCAP has published a Bill of Rights for Songwriters and Composers, which, unfortunately, seems to be more like a bill of “wrongs”. Just as citizens of a nation must be educated about their rights to ensure that they are protected and upheld, so […]