Communications Law
“The Invisible Artists of Copyright Jurisprudence: Joint Authorship in Jazz Improvisation under Canadian Law” by Rebecca Noble
Hey folks! Ever wondered if jazz improvisation and copyright law could jam together in harmony? Well, Rebecca Noble decided to play matchmaker and explore this unlikely duo in her paper. It’s a roller coaster ride through legal notes and jazz chords that leaves you pondering – who really owns the rhythm? Dive in to see […]
Getting Inked: How Tattooes May Soon Be Copyrighted.
To the chagrin of many a tattoo aficionado, there is a chance that ink based works that have been a hallmark of self-expression and identity may now be subject to copyright. Apparently in the United States, courts have begun to extend copyright protection to works done by tattoo artists. Thus, like with any copyrighted item, […]
Week 7 Fall 2023 – Slides & Video
Slides & video below…
Use of copyrighted material to train generative AI – is it fair dealing?
I have an interest in how copyright applies to fan works (such as fanfiction and fan art) and was doing some research on the topic when I ran across the following article: https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/openai-chatgpt-lawsuit-george-rr-martin-john-grisham-1235730939/ In essence, George R.R. Martin, the author of the acclaimed A Song of Ice and Fire book series (which was adapted into […]
Lionel Ritchie sells homes?
With thoughts of copyright swimming in my head, I drove home from school somewhat bleary-eyed from the long day. Imagine my surprise when I saw this realty sign! Now to you, this might mean nothing, but these lyrics are instantly recognizable to a certain generation of listeners-80s music lovers! Have a listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHONNcZbwDY Or is it? […]
Spider-Man 2 features a New York that is slightly inaccurate due to Copyright Law
Hi everyone, If anyone is interested in the world of superheroes and/or video games, I came across a unique example of copyright law in action with the release of the new Spider-Man 2 game for PS5. To give players the most accurate version of New York City possible, Insomniac Games included 47 special landmarks in […]
AI wins state fair art contest, annoys humans (and bureaucrats too!)
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/09/us-rejects-ai-copyright-for-famous-state-fair-winning-midjourney-art/ Why bother?! Was that not the first question that came to you after reading the piece? Why was the artist trying to obtain copyright registration in the first place? For possible monetary gains? To cause an outrage? To see if he can get away with it, thus gaining notoriety? Despite appearances, most of us […]
Possible AI Copyright Precedent for Music Lyrics?
I found this a cool read after discussing AI and copyrighted lyrics in class last week. These upcoming cases will lay the groundwork for how AI will be governed. Interestingly the parties involved here are no small players so it will be particularly interesting to see how the fair use argument plays out in court. […]
Week 6 Fall 2023 – Slides & Video
Slides & video below…
Microsoft’s Copilot Copyright Commitment
To encourage customers continue buying and using their Generative AI-based products, Microsoft is offering legal protection for AI copyright infringement challenges: https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2023/09/07/copilot-copyright-commitment-ai-legal-concerns/ Microsoft says “if a third party sues a commercial customer for copyright infringement for using Microsoft’s Copilots or the output they generate, we will defend the customer and pay the amount of any […]