Have you ever heard of The Wayback Machine? The website, an initiative of the nonprofit Internet Archive, is a vast repository of old web pages (916 billion and counting!), texts, video, audio, software, and images. Essentially, it acts like a digital library,...
As almost any creative person will tell you, “They stole my idea!” is part occupational hazard and part inside joke. Why? Because it is incredibly easy to have an idea or a concept for something, and the more ideas you come up with, the more likely it is that you will...
In the age of TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, music plays a pivotal role in creating engaging content. Whether it is a catchy background tune or a trending song, the right music can elevate a video and make it go viral. However, as the use of music on social media...
In a recent landmark ruling, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) made a major change in how works of applied art – think designer furniture, sculptures, and other creative items – receive copyright protection across the EU. The ruling says that as long...
Imagine you are an internet provider. You offer a service that lets people stream, browse, and download content. However, some of those users are engaging in illegal activities — like pirating copyrighted music. What do you do? What are you responsible for?...
As a media franchise, Pokémon has been around since 1996, and a number of characters are immediately recognizable the world over. Because of this, the Pokémon Company is quite protective of their intellectual property, and there have been a number of Pokémon copyright...
The U.S. House Judiciary Committee recently sent a letter asking the Copyright Office to look into some issues with performing rights organizations, also known as PROs. PROs are groups that collect specific types of payments – called royalties – on behalf of...
The U.S. Copyright Office recently published a report that breaks down where copyright registrations are happening across the country. Spoiler alert: each region has its own creative fingerprint where copyright registrations are concerned, showcasing what makes them...