Copyrights & Legal 8

Massachusetts rep introduces bill aimed at tightening privacy protections for smart speaker owners

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Anna Washenko

After all three of the main developers of voice assistant platforms have faced privacy breaches, either through whistleblowers or through human or mechanical errors, a member of Congress is moving to address the risks to consumers. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) has introduced a new act that would give people recourse for when smart speakers and smart doorbells collect data in violation of their terms of agreements. Continue Reading →

YouTube now requires timestamps in Content ID manual claims

Posted on July 10, 2019 by Anna Washenko

YouTube is making some adjustments to its Content ID platform. The new changes are related to manual claims in the system for copyrighted audio. While they may make things clearer for people making content for YouTube, copyright holders will have an additional step to take. Continue Reading →

Merlin enters deal with music credits database

Posted on July 9, 2019 by Anna Washenko

Merlin has entered an agreement with Jaxsta, an Australia-based business specializing in technology and music credits. Under the terms of the commercial data access agreement, the global indie label and rights management network will provide Jaxsta with official data about the music creations of its members. Continue Reading →

NMPA and partners win bid for Music Licensing Collective under the Music Modernization Act

Posted on July 8, 2019 by Anna Washenko

The U.S. Copyright Office has made an important step forward in enacting the provisions passed by the Music Modernization Act last fall. The office selected the group led by the National Music Publishers Association to manage the creation and operation of the Mechanical Licensing Collective. Continue Reading →

Spotify says it overpaid publishers in 2018 and wants to recoup funds

Posted on June 24, 2019 by Anna Washenko

Spotify’s interactions with publishers and songwriters have gotten even more complicated, with the streaming service claiming that it overpaid on mechanical royalties in 2018. The Copyright Royalty Board issued its mechanical royalty payment rates in December 2018 after the music platform had already paid out almost a full year under a different rate scheme. Continue Reading →

Department of Justice begins review of consent decrees; ASCAP and BMI respond

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Anna Washenko

The U.S. Department of Justice has officially opened a new review of the consent decrees governing ASCAP and BMI. Both performance rights organizations have operated their copyright management systems under these rules for more than 75 years. The review will examine whether the decrees should continue in their current state, receive modifications, or be ended entirely. Continue Reading →

Dubset inks rights deal with Pioneer DJ

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Anna Washenko

Dubset, a company offering rights management and royalties services, has secured a new partnership with Pioneer DJ. The deal will allow DJs to clear mixes and sets for select streaming services through the DJM-REC iOS app. Continue Reading →

RIAA gets subpoenas to unveil operators of two stream-ripping sites

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Anna Washenko

The RIAA has been doggedly continuing its legal fight against piracy, and has made progress in identifying the operators of stream-ripping sites. The trade group recently collaborated with Music Canada and the IFPI to force illegal file-hosting service DBR.ee offline. Continue Reading →

Songtrust hires biz dev director for UK and Ireland

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Anna Washenko

Music royalty collection services company Songtrust announced that Lara Baker has joined its team as director of business development for the UK and Ireland. She will report to Molly Neuman, the company’s global head of business development. Continue Reading →

Lawsuit alleges widespread distribution of unauthorized copies on streaming and downloads

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Anna Washenko

Several tech and music companies have been named in a new lawsuit that aims to tackle digital distribution of unauthorized recordings. The legal action was brought by the estate of Harold Arlen, a legendary composer best known for the classic “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. Continue Reading →

Spotify India rollout stumbles with Saregama licensing

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Brad Hill

Spotify’s launch in India’s listening market has proceeded with good news this year, but has reportedly hit a stumbling point in its negotiation with Saregama, India’s oldest record label. Continue Reading →

CD Baby teams with Audible Magic for identifying copyright conflicts

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Anna Washenko

Independent music distributor CD Baby announced a partnership with Audible Magic, a specialist in digital content identification, licensing, and monetization. Under the terms of their arrangement, CD Baby will use the RightsRx service from Audible Magic to find content rights conflicts before music is sent to a digital platform. Continue Reading →