3 Count: Cybersquatting Approach

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1: Aylo Uses Cybersquatting Complaint to Take Out Pirate Site Domains

First off, today, Ernesto Van der Sar at Torrentfreak writes that Licensing IP, a subsidiary of Aylo, is using trademark claims on domains as a means to shutter suspected pirate websites.

Licensing IP holds the trademarks to various adult entertainment brands. Though Aylo, also known as MindGeek, has long used copyright claims to target pirate sites, the company has begun using cybersquatting claims to shutter domains.

However, rather than using ICANN’s Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP), Licensing IP has opted to go through a federal court. There, a judge recently ordered the transfer of several domains connected with Aylo trademarks, making it one of the first times a trademark has been used to target pirate sites.

2: Music Copyright Group Mandates ‘No AI Use’ for New Songs

Next up today, Yoon Min-sik at The Korea Herald reports that the Korea Music Copyright Association (KMCA) has added a new measure to their song registration process. Starting March 24, all musicians must affirm that they did not use artificial intelligence (AI) to create the song.

The organization clarified that a song must not have used AI at all to pass this threshold. If any songs are submitted but found to have used AI, the KMCA can take action, such as delisting them and withholding royalties.

The KMCA is the largest copyright group in the country, with over 50,000 members. It handles commercial use of music within the country, similar to what performing rights organizations do in the United States.

3: Stardew Valley Baldur’s Gate 3 Mod Back Online After D&D Owners “Mistakenly” Send a Copyright Strike

Finally, today, Edwin Evans-Thirlwell at Rock Papers Shotgun reports that Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has rescinded a copyright notice filed against a Stardew Valley mod that featured characters and heavy inspiration from the game Baldur’s Gate 3.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a video game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, which WoTC owns. Stardew Valley is a “cozy” farm simulation game that, despite being released in 2016, remains popular today. Someone created a mod for Stardew Valley entitled Baldur’s Village, which mashes up the two games.

However, the mod was briefly removed due to a copyright complaint filed by lawyers representing WoTC. Previously, the company had said that non-commercial mods were acceptable, creating confusion over the takedown. However, the mod has since been restored, partly due to praise from the developers of Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios.

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