3 Count: Tetris Attack

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1: Court Declares Tetris Clone a Breach of Copyright, Big Implications for Derivative Games

First off today, Tom Francis at PC Gamer writes that Mino, a puzzle game widely referred to as a Tetris clone, has been ruled as an infringement on the intellectual property of the original game. The lawsuit, brought by Tetris Holding, found that Mino’s copying went beyond merely the idea of the game but also the expression of that idea. Mino’s makers, Xio, didn’t deny taking elements from Tetris but said that they were generic elements that were not copyrightable. However, the court felt that Xio’s copying went too far, taking more than necessary to make a game about falling blocks that disappear. This game could have serious implications for other clone games, which are popular on Facebook and mobile devices.

2: EFF Slams ‘Negligence’ Claim in Corbin Fisher Copyright Suit

Next up today, Adult Video News writes that the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has filed an amicus brief in a lawsuit that pits Liberty Media Holdings against two roommates accused of illegally downloading the film Down on the Farm. The case centers around the issue of open wifi as the first roommate, Cary Tabora had the apartment’s Internet access placed under his name but, when he was sued for downloading the film, he blamed the download on the other roommate, Schuyler Whetstone. In the EFF’s brief, they said that holding Tabora responsible would eliminate open wifi providers to which attorneys for the plaintiff countered saying that Tabora was aware of Whetstone’s infringement and had the ability to stop it, something that is not true with open wifi. This is actually the second lawsuit against the two men, the first, which was filed in California, was dismissed on jurisdiction grounds leading to be it being refiled in New York.

3: MPAA / RIAA Ponder Suing Persistent BitTorrent Pirates

Finally today, Ernesto at Torrentfreak writes that, while the upcoming “six strikes” system in the U.S. is being touted as a way to address piracy in the country without resorting to lawsuits, it doesn’t mean some “persistent” pirates may not face litigation. Under the program, through which copyright holders and ISPs are cooperating to pass on warnings of infringement, copyright holders may be able to use information gleaned from the program to form the basis of obtaining subscriber contact information and, eventually, filing a lawsuit. While such litigation would take place outside of the system, it means that it could still happen despite the effort being primarily education driven.

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.

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