Legislation that would mean massive changes to the financial and copyright responsibilities shouldered by YouTube and other user-generated content platforms is moving to a summer vote in Europe. A committee in the European Parliament has voted in favor of moving ahead with a potential new law called the EU Copyright Directive. Continue Reading
YouTube may be facing a new legal challenge in Europe. The Vienna Commercial Court issued a preliminary decision that YouTube is responsible for preventing its users from uploading infringing content. The decision is not final, but it is maintained in the court’s final ruling, the result could have rippling consequences for the video platform. Continue Reading
CISAC has published a study investigating the economic impact of safe harbor provisions on the digital market. These legal provisions were originally intended to provide copyright liability protections for digital companies when their users committed infringements. However, the study argues that safe harbors are having the opposite effect and are creating an unfair advantage for user uploaded content companies. Continue Reading
European leaders are hearing continued pressure to create stronger solutions in securing the safe harbor clause. The latest move centered on a number of groups that lobby on digital rights sending a letter to Parliament calling for the clause to be eliminated from the draft of the European Copyright Directive. Continue Reading
The U.S. music industry is petitioning its European counterparts to make copyright reforms that would address royalty payments made by online music distribution services. Several music industry organizations signed an open letter about the value gap in services that do a great deal of user traffic but make comparatively small royalty payments. It asks U.S. government representatives in Europe to support Article 13 of the Copyright Directive proposed by the European Commission. Continue Reading
One of the recent developments in pre-1972 copyright protection was a win by video hosting service Vimeo in June, where the court ruled that the company could apply safe harbor provisions to those songs. That appeal ruling is now facing a fresh attack. A2IM, the RIAA, and Concord have filed an amicus brief in support of original plaintiff Capitol Records and requesting that the full New York federal appellate court rehear the case. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Unsung streaming leaders land on Power Players list; a pro-YouTube piece from Financial Times; for the ultimate hipster, SoundCloud-to-vinyl pressings. Continue Reading