3 Count: Return to Sender
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1: Megaupload Founder Wins Access to Evidence Seized in Raid
First off today, Reuters reports that a court in New Zealand ruled that the warrants used by police in the raid of Kim Dotcom’s home were illegal and ordered the police to return everything seized in the raid that is not relevant to the investigation. For materials that are relevant, the police are obligated to provide Dotcom with a copy all at their expense.
Kim Dotcom’s home was raided in January of 2012 as part of the seizure of Megaupload and the arrest of many of its employees, including Dotcom himself. The act was part of a join-U.S./New Zealand effort to shutter the controversial site, which also resulted in criminal action against Megaupload the company in the U.S.
Dotcom faces an extradition hearing in August but that will likely be delayed due to continued wrangling over evidence between himself and U.S. authorities.
2: Computer Scientists Oppose Oracle’s Bid to Copyright Java APIs
Next up today, Jame Niccolai at PCWorld reports that nearly three dozen scientists have put their names on a brief with the Court of Appeals asking it to uphold a lower court decision ruling that Oracle’s APIs do not qualify for copyright protection.
Previously, Oracle sued Google alleging copyright infringement and patent violations in the version of Java that Google used in its Android mobile operating system. One of the issues was the application program interfaces used in the Android Java, which were identical to the ones in Oracle’s Java to ensure compatibility with other applications written in the language.
The judge, however, ruled that APIs could not be copyrighted as they are just a set of instructions. However, Oracle has appealed that ruling and that has prompted the amicus brief being filed.
The scientists and researchers claim that giving copyrightability to APIs could negatively affect the Web as APIs are a fundamental part of software and Web development that depend on being openly used, which is what they are designed for.
3: Universal Music Tells Gangnam Parody Mayors: Pay $42,000 By Tomorrow, Or Else
Finally today, Andy at Torrentfreak writes that four mayors in Denmark have been hit with a demand from Universal to pay $42,000 to license the song “Gangnam Style” for a video they made lampooning the song and the cultural phenomenon it created.
Though parodies of the song have, generally, been well tolerated, Universal alleges that the use of the song went beyond parody and was an attempt to further the campaigns of the mayors involved. As such, Universal sent the mayors a demand for $42,000 that was to be paid the next day.
The production studio behind the video said that the amount demanded was unreasonably high, more than it would be to license the song for a feature film. The video has been taken down and reuploaded without the track.
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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