3 Count: Too Hot 2

Jonathan BaileyMarch 20, 2012

2 minutes read

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

1: Google takes aim at MPAA in Hotfile case

First off today, Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols at ZDNet writes that Google has filed an brief in the case pitting cyberlocker service Hotfile vs. the MPAA. The MPAA sued Hotfile claiming that the service was enabling massive copyright infringement of their content and that they did not qualify for DMCA safe harbor protection. However, Google has filed a brief claiming that they, as well as other services, epend on the DMCA and that Hotfile does qualify for it, even if they only remove links to infringing files rather than the files themselves. That process is similar to the one Megaupload used prior to its being shuttered at the hands of U.S. and New Zealand authorities.

2: Artist Wins Lawsuit After Film Wrongfully Taken Off Website

Next up today, Andrew Taylor and Jonathan Swan of the Sydney Morning Herald write that Australian filmmaker Richard Bell has won his lawsuit against his U.S.-based director Tanya Steele. Bell had hired Steele to help him create a documentary in New York City entitled The Blackfella’s Guide to New York but, upon Bell’s return, Steele claimed to be the copyright holder in the film and not only withheld the footage but ordered a trailer of the film to be taken off of Vimeo. Bell was awarded $147,000 (approx $150,000 US) in damages for the removal. However, Steele did not appear in court, limiting the cases precedent value and the fact she resides in the U.S. makes it difficult to enforce the judgment.

3: There’s No Copyright Infringement: Saif Ali Khan

Finally today, Roshmila Bhattacharya of the Hindustan Times writes that a controversy is swirling around Saif Ali Khan’s second production, Agent Vinod, claiming that some of the music from the film is plagiarized from other sources, including both a YouTube video making allegations and an Tehran-based band pointing out similarities with one song and their, including their music video. However, the film’s co-producer, Dinesh Vijan, has said that there is nothing to the allegations and that any attempt to initial legal proceedings against the film are “ill-conceived, ill-advised and untenable by law”.

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.