3 Count: Matrix Arbitration

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1: Pinterest Prevails in Photography Copyright Dispute

First off today, Carson McCullough at Courthouse News Service reports that a federal judge has granted summary judgment in favor of Pinterest in their battle with a photographer.

The case involved photographer and author Harold Davis, who sued Pinterest, alleging that the company featured images he created without permission. Davis argued that this alleged infringement included viewing his photographs near ads and alongside promoted pins.

However, the court has ruled that Pinterest is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which protects services that host content uploaded by users. According to the ruling, Pinterest had no direct control over the images and Davis could not prove how Pinterest directly profited from his images.

2: Amendment Passes to Grant Teachers Fair Use of Copyrighted Work Remotely

Next up today, Focus Taiwan reports that the Taiwan legislature has passed a new copyright law that would grant educators a fair use protection when using copyright-protected works via online classes.

Currently, in Taiwan, teachers are allowed a broad fair use exemption for in-person instruction, but this would expand that to include virtual instruction. Virtual instruction has risen sharply in prevalence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawmakers also passed an amendment to the Copyright Act that would enable the national Central Library to create digital editions of its books. However, it will be forbidden from digitizing any books already released by publishers in a digital format. All such digital books would only be accessible through computers at the national library.

3: Village Roadshow’s Lawsuit Against Warner Bros. Over ‘Matrix Resurrections’ Sent to Arbitration

Finally today, Winston Cho at The Hollywood Reporter Esquire reports that the judge in the Village Roadshow lawsuit over Matrix Resurrections has ordered the case to head to arbitration, supporting a Warner Bros. motion to do so.

Village Roadshow sued Warner Bros. alleging that Warner’s choice to release Matrix Resurrections on streaming at the same time as theaters cost them significant amounts of money for the rights they hold in the film. This prompted Village Roadshow to allege branch of contract.

However, Warner Bros. has defended that strategy, saying that it worked with all their other content partners on the release and only Village Roadshow refused to cooperate. As part of that, Warner asked for the case to be moved to arbitration, as per their agreement with Village Roadshow. The judge has decided to do just that and has declined to rule on a preliminary injunction, calling such a motion moot.

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