3 Count: No More Popcorn
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1: Popcorn Time, the Piracy App That Spooked Netflix, Shuts Down
First off today, Priya Anand at Bloomberg reports that the piracy app Popcorn Time has shuttered its doors, ending a seven-year run where the app was one of the most prominent and popular piracy services.
The app was launched in 2014 though the original developers abandoned it quickly after its debut. The app drew widespread attention for its Netflix-like interface that made streaming pirated content easy and fast, but that earned the ire of both rightsholders and law enforcement.
However, due to its open-source nature, other developers picked up the mantle and continued to operate it through various ups and downs until this year. However, yesterday the group behind the app emailed reporters and users announcing that it was ending. The group also posted a goodbye not on their home page, signaling the app’s conclusion.
2: Quentin Tarantino plans to sell ‘Pulp Fiction’ NFTs, defying a Miramax suit.
Next up today, Ephrat Livni at The New York Times reports that Quentin Tarantino has announced that he is moving ahead with actions of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) of various items he owns related to the movie pulp fiction, including the original handwritten script.
Tarantino announced the sale back in November but was swiftly sued by MIramax, which claims Tarantino sold them the rights to the movie in the 1990s. The initial NFT sale was cancelled due to the lawsuit but Tarantino has announced that this is back on, with plans for it to take place this month.
The lawsuit against the NFT sale is ongoing, with a court date scheduled for February. However, this move may prompt Miramax to make an emergency court filing to try and stop the sale.
3: Meghan Markle to Receive Just £1 from Mail on Sunday Following Copyright Win
Finally today, Olivia Petter at The Independent reports that Meghan Markle, despite winning her copyright battle against The Mail on Sunday, will only receive just £1 in damages.
Markle sued the paper in 2018 after it published parts of a “personal and private” letter she had written for her father. She won the case in 2021 after a judge ruled in her favor without the need for a full trial. Though the judge did order the paper to take several steps to apologize and call attention to their misdeeds, she has now been informed that her payout for this case will be just £1.
However, it may not be as small as it seems. There is a separate copyright case taking place over the issue and, in that one, the paper will pay a “substantial” amount that Markle has said will be donated to charity.
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