3 Count: All Apologies

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

1: New Zealand PM apologizes to Kim DotCom; Case Unraveling

First off today, Greg Sandoval at CNet reports that New Zealand’s Prime Minister, John Key, has issued an apology to MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom for illegal spying. According to Key, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) spied on Dotcom thinking that he was not a New Zealand citizen when he was. The GCSB can conduct such surveillance on foreigners and not New Zealand Citizens. Dotcom, along with other employees were arrested in January for criminal copyright infringement and money laundering as their site was shuttered. Dotcom is awaiting a hearing on possible extradition to the U.S. but the case against him has been riddled with problems and setbacks.

2: EU Regulators Eye Copyright Levies in the Cloud

Next up today, Jennifer Baker of PC Advisor writes that EU regulators may be looking to impose copyright levies on cloud storage services, including file lockers. The European Commission, the executive body of the EU, is reportedly looking into the issue at the request of 12 organizations representing authors. Most countries in the EU allow for such levies to be used to pay for private copying of content on blank CDs, memory sticks and other consumer devices. However, given the nature of cloud storage, it’s unclear if and how such levies would be applied.

3: Gay Couple Sues After Photo Used in Colorado Campaign Mailers

Finally today, Keith Coffman of Reuters reports that a gay couple, Brian Edwards and Thomas Privitere, have sued the organization Public Advocate of the United States, which they claim used their engagement photo, which featured the pair kissing under the Brooklyn Bridge, in mailers they sent out attacking political candidates in New York and Colorado. The photographer of the image, Kristina Hill, is also party to the suit. According to the lawsuit, the group used the photo in two separate campaigns against candidates in Republican primaries. The group also altered the photo when using to remove or replace the background in both cases.The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages.

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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