Category Archives: Copyright
A Wellness Program — For Your Business
Just as your body needs annual wellness checkups, your business does, too. Much of the simple matters can be done by your office, without an lawyer – but if issues turn up, it may be time to check with counsel. Corporate Status ❏ Corporate Status. Is your business in good standing with the state? In […]
Don’t Let Your Company Be a Software Theft Ring
Would you encourage your employees take a five-fingered discount from the office supply store? Probably not. Would you cheat a hard-working employee by not paying her? Of course not. However, in the press of the Great Recession, software piracy is still prevalent, and lax controls on software may be jeopardizing your company. When buying new […]
Bit Torrent File Sharing Lawsuits
You have received a notice from your Internet Service Provider, or “ISP,” indicating that you have been sued as a “Doe” in a bit torrent file sharing lawsuit. What now? Now you need to make some choices about how you want to handle this. But first, some information. What does this even mean? This means […]
The Rapid Evolution of Mobile Apps
When I was a kid, on days when we couldn’t play outside, my friend Mike and I would play Pong on our TV sets. Growing up in the Los Angeles area, many of our friends wanted to be in Hollywood. Now, the video game industry has earned more than Hollywood movies for years. The San […]
New Tech, Old Parasites
Twits using your business’s name could destroy your company’s reputation before you even know about it. Twitter does have an anti-squatting policy, but every business should participate in the Twitter land rush by claiming its own name. Besides being a potential marketing device, claiming your business’s name prevents it from being claimed by someone else. It’s free and took me less than 30 seconds to do.
Privacy? You Don’t Got No Stinkin’ Privacy!
When someone subpoenas subscriber information from an internet service provider, does the subscriber have an expectation of privacy? In California, at least, the answer seems to be: No. In People v. Stirpo, (Second District Court of Appeal, May 16, 2011), the defendant challenged the search warrant to the internet service provider (“ISP”) that sought information […]
These Origami Artists Won’t Fold
Bay Oak Law and Haims Valentino LLP have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against artist Sarah Morris, who used the crease patterns of at least six different origami artists. She did so without attribution or licenses.
Secure Your Routers! Redux
Without giving away too many details, we have been contacted by potential clients whose internet protocol information is being sought because it has been connected with illegal downloads of movies. However, these people only owned the wireless routers that were used to receive the movie; they did not download the movie themselves. Someone else downloaded […]
Client Question: Does the US Gov’t Own Copyrights?
“Kim Vanderheiden of Painted Tongue Press, which does custom design invitations, business cards, and greeting cards, among many others, asks: “Does the US Government and/or its branches own intellectual property rights on its forms and publications?” As a general matter, the federal government has no copyrights. 17 USC 105 says that “Copyright protection under this […]
Unfair? Maybe. But a Fair Use. And Fun.
Regardless of what you may feel about the intent, the execution of this remix is a fantastic illustration of how copyright’s fair use doctrine enlivens free speech today:
