3 Count: No Hope?

Have any suggestions for the 3 Count? Let me know via Twitter @plagiarismtoday.

1: Judge: ‘HOPE’ Artist Under Criminal Investigation

First off today, Shepard Fairey, the artist who created the iconic Obama “Hope” poster is now being investigated by a grand jury over his admitted lies to the court about which photograph was used and for allegedly falsifying evidence. It is unclear the exact charges Fairey may face, if any, but the judge has said that it will not affect is ongoing civil proceedings with the AP, who sued him for copyright infringement over the poster.

2: Baidu Cleared in Copyright Infringement Case Brought by IFPI

Next up today, the Chinese search engine Baidu has been cleared of copyright infringement in a Chinese court in a case brought by the IFPI for Baidu’s deep linking to illegal MP3 files. According to the ruling, there is nothing illegal under Chinese law about linking to infringing material. The IFPI filed a similar suit in 2005, where it was ruled that the files were not infringing.

3: Internet Companies Voice Alarm Over Italian Law

Finally today, a new law from Italy that is scheduled to be approved next month would make it the responsibility of ISPs and sites, including those like YouTube, to monitor for copyright infringement by their users and hold them liable if they fail to do so. Concerns are being expressed that this could negatively impact Italy’s already-struggling digital economy.

Suggestions

That’s it for the three count today. We will be back tomorrow with three more copyright links. If you have a link that you want to suggest a link for the column or have any proposals to make it better. Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. I hope to hear from you.

Want the Full Story?

Tune in every Saturday morning for the live recording of the Copyright 2.0 Show or wait and get the edited version Monday morning right here on Plagiarism Today.