Life Just Got Harder for Counterfeit Sellers with the Launch of Amazon’s New Counterfeit Crimes Unit **Attorney Advertising**
Last month, I wrote about my run-in with counterfeit sellers on Amazon when searching for a toddler drum set for my son. If you missed that post, one listing I came across showed a beautiful drum kit for under $3.00. At that price, who wouldn’t be tempted to hit “Buy Now?” After a little bit […]
How Can I Tell if a YouTube Video is Copyrighted? **Attorney Advertising**
Have you come across a YouTube video that you’d like to use and you’re trying to figure out if it’s protected by copyright? Unless the video: Is your own; or, The video specifically says that it’s free to use as part of the public domain; …you can safely assume that the video is protected by […]
The US Copyright Office Introduces Emergency Electronic Submissions Due to COVID-19 Delays and Closures **Attorney Advertising **
The United States Copyright Office and all Library of Congress Buildings remain closed to in-person visits due to the Coronavirus outbreak. When possible, employees of the Copyright Office are working remotely, while the number of onsite workers needed to process claims is being limited at this time for social distancing and safety reasons. The good […]
Is a “Digital Timestamp” Enough to Prove Copyright Ownership of Music? **Attorney Advertising **
Most people have heard of the “Poor Man’s Copyright.” If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s the process of sticking a creative work in an envelope and sending it to oneself via the post office in order to have a “federal timestamp” showing when the work was created. Unfortunately, this “Poor Man’s Copyright” is […]
I Received a DMCA Takedown Notice. What Should I Do? **Attorney Advertising**
If you receive a DMCA Takedown Notice stating that you are infringing on someone’s copyright, it’s important to pay attention to what’s being alleged in the document and take immediate steps to address the issue. The worst thing you can do is ignore or throw out the takedown notice. This is your chance to fix […]
New Editing Tool Helps Users Correct Copyright Issues on YouTube **Attorney Advertising**
Content creators are getting a bit of help from YouTube in the quest to cut down on copyright infringement claims on the video-sharing platform. Users can now access new tools within YouTube’s Studio, where they will find specific information about the copyright claims being made against them, such as: Which video was removed for copyright […]
Happy New Year: Works From 1924 Entered the Public Domain in 2020 **Attorney Advertising**
After enjoying 95 years of copyright protection, the public can now freely access and edit copyrighted materials from 1924 as they officially enter the public domain. The materials are available for use as of January 1st, 2020, without requiring permission or a license from the original copyright holder. Some notable works that are now a […]
Why You Should Update Your Website’s Copyright Notice at The Start of Each Year **Attorney Advertising**
Take a moment to pull up your website and scroll to the bottom of the page. Do you have a copyright notice in the footer? Is the current year listed? If the answer to either of these questions is “no”, now is the perfect time to check this important task off your to-do list. What […]
Getting a Search Engine Involved When a Foreign Website or Host is Unresponsive to Copyright Claims **Attorney Advertising**
Issues of plagiarism or copyright infringement can be difficult to resolve; especially when the offending party is located outside of the United States. In most of these situations, a copyright holder will file a DMCA Takedown Notice with the hosting company of the website where the stolen content is displayed. After investigating the claim, the […]
Keeping Your Personal Information Private When Filing for a Copyright **Attorney Advertising**
Copyright registrations here in the United States are a matter of public record. As such, personal information about the author or creator of a work will be available for just about anyone to find. This is done not only as a matter of law, but also so that the public can easily identify the owner […]