Copyrights are important because they give artists control over how their work is used and shared. But what happens to those rights after the creator dies? Knowing the answer is important, not just for creators but also for their families, since these rights can still hold a lot of value long after someone passes away. What Happens to Copyrights After Death? When someone who … [Read more...] about What Happens to Copyrights After Death?
copyright
Publishers score significant legal victory against Internet Archive in copyright battle
In a landmark ruling, book publishers have secured a significant legal victory against the Internet Archive (IA), marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing war against copyright violators. As TorrentFreak reported, the decision, handed down by a New York federal court, underscores the critical importance of protecting intellectual property rights in the digital age. The … [Read more...] about Publishers score significant legal victory against Internet Archive in copyright battle
Publishers drag Shopify to court over allegations of selling pirated books
Shopify has found itself at the receiving end of publisher's ire who have accused the e-commerce platform of selling pirated stuff. The publishers - Pearson Education, Inc., Macmillan Learning, Cengage Learning, Inc., Elsevier Inc., and McGraw Hill - have filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for Eastern Virginia and are also seeking damages to the tune of $500 million, The … [Read more...] about Publishers drag Shopify to court over allegations of selling pirated books
Another Romance Author In #CockyGate-Level Move
Ah, who can forget only a couple of weeks ago when a romance author destroyed any hope of having a career and a dedicated following by being a jerk to other authors? Dubbed #cockygate, author Faleena Hopkins filed a dubious trademark-slash-wordmark on the word "cocky" as it pertains to her Cocky Brothers book series. She then moved forward with threatening other authors who had … [Read more...] about Another Romance Author In #CockyGate-Level Move
US Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Copyright Arguments over Sherlock Holmes
Most people don't think of copyright law when they think of gripping drama and suspenseful twists and turns, but the truth is copyright is actually quite fascinating. Of course, no one is more fascinated right now than the litigants in a case involving copyright over Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes characters. To understand the ramifications of a case that is … [Read more...] about US Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Copyright Arguments over Sherlock Holmes
Copyright Clearance Center Launches RightsLink for Open Access
One of the chief issues that creates underlying buzz in the book industry involves copyright, specifically open access. It's the issue that no one wants to talk about until there's an intellectual property theft, or until research paid for with public tax dollars isn't available to teams of researchers elsewhere. The Copyright Clearance Center, one of the leading … [Read more...] about Copyright Clearance Center Launches RightsLink for Open Access
IPR License Launches Trade Rights to Foster International Rights Sales
One of the world's well-known sources for global books rights is the IPR License organization, making international rights deals possible for authors, agents, and publishers. The organization announced today that it has a new item to offer rights holders, namely a desktop solution to rights selling called Trade Rights. According to an announcement from IPR License, … [Read more...] about IPR License Launches Trade Rights to Foster International Rights Sales
South Africa Among Nations With Least Affinity to Read Books, eBooks Still to Make it Big
eBooks are far from reaching the same levels of popularity in South Africa as in the west and other parts of the world given the high price tag that ebook reading devices attract in the region. This along with bandwidth constraints has made experts predict that printed books will continue to dominate the scene well until 2017. Â The latest PwC report, "South African … [Read more...] about South Africa Among Nations With Least Affinity to Read Books, eBooks Still to Make it Big
The Battle is Not Over for Google’s Digitization Project
Eight years of legal battles to halt Google's digitization project have not produced the results that some organizations have wanted, and therefore, the litigation will continue. Only a matter of weeks ago, US Circuit Judge Denny Chin ruled that Google's massive digitization project fell within the reasonable bounds of copyright and fair use, throwing out the copyright … [Read more...] about The Battle is Not Over for Google’s Digitization Project
Judge Rules on Sherlock Holmes Public Domain Case
With the dramatic changes that have been taking place in the publishing industry over the last few years, it's easy to forget that some very solid, set in stone rules do still apply where books are concerned. One of those key areas is in copyright, which can be a sensitive issue in terms of anthologizing or crafting new stories based on decades-old characters and works. A US … [Read more...] about Judge Rules on Sherlock Holmes Public Domain Case
India Pushes For Legalizing of Photocopying Academic Books
The seemingly everlasting tussle between the proponents of digital piracy and those opposing it has taken an interesting turn with the Indian government’s move that could legalize copying of textbooks and course materials. There already are reports that claim the Indian government is considering moving a petition before the World Intellectual Property Organization, seeking a … [Read more...] about India Pushes For Legalizing of Photocopying Academic Books
Copyright and Open Access: The Future of Publishing
Frankfurt Book Fair has grown into an event that encompasses so much about the publishing industry, with special events focused on self-publishing and six different exhibit halls dedicated to various aspects of digital publishing. But what once was known to be simply a rights fair still serves as a hub of copyright issue, as evidenced by the Copyright Clearance Center’s panel, … [Read more...] about Copyright and Open Access: The Future of Publishing
De Gruyter, Unglue.it Work Together to Crowdfund Open Source Textbooks
When Unglue.it first launched its platform to strip the copyright status of books once a crowdfunded, pre-determined amount of money had been raised, skeptics spoke out. Not against that concept of "ungluing" a book, of course, but against the idea that ordinary readers would be willing to donate money to a publisher to make a book permanently public domain. Happily, Unglue.it … [Read more...] about De Gruyter, Unglue.it Work Together to Crowdfund Open Source Textbooks
A Zone Legally Free of US Copyright in the Caribbean?
The little guy may get his licks in! The US blocked access to Antigua's internet sports booking business, which, at one point, accounted for 5% of the islands employment. In 2003 the island took the US to the World Trade Organization and it won! The WTO ruled that the "… US had adopted measures that interfered with its obligation to provide free trade in betting and gambling … [Read more...] about A Zone Legally Free of US Copyright in the Caribbean?