Big Wins, Big Losses: Authors, Disney, Napster, and the Future of Copyright
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe/Follow Android | RSS
Welcome to Entertainment Law Update, your monthly rundown of the most important legal developments in the entertainment, media, and technology industries.
This episode is a roundup of some of the biggest recent developments at the intersection of entertainment law, copyright, trademarks, and AI. From billion-dollar settlements to parody protection and music licensing shakeups, here’s what you need to know.
Stories Covered
Anthropic Settles Authors’ AI Lawsuit for $1.5 Billion
One of the largest copyright settlements involving generative AI . But Judge Alsup may not sign off just yet.
- Hollywood Reporter
- NPR coverage (settlement)
- New York Times
- NPR coverage (June ruling)
- ChatGPT is Eating the World – Alsup skeptical
- Plagiarism Today
Texas Bar AI Toolkit for Lawyers
The State Bar of Texas introduces a comprehensive toolkit to help attorneys navigate the risks, ethics, and opportunities of AI.
Supertramp Band Members’ Royalties – Thomson v. Hodgson
The Ninth Circuit rules that old publishing royalty agreements that are silent on duration may last as long as the songs continue to earn.
Canada: Privacy Commissioner on the Right to De-Listing
A move toward a limited “right to be forgotten” under PIPEDA.
Jimmy Kimmel’s Courtroom Win vs. George Santos
The Second Circuit affirms that parody and satire protect fair use—even when entire works are copied.
Fed Cir. on F-Word Trademark Application
Court tells USPTO/TTAB to articulate a real standard on when “all-purpose” words fail to function as trademarks.
D.C. Circuit Reinstates Register of Copyrights
Separation-of-powers fight over whether the Register is insulated from presidential removal.
Disney and VFX Software Copyright – Rearden v. Disney
The Ninth Circuit revives infringement claims over unlicensed use of MOVA tech in Beauty and the Beast.
Kim Dotcom Extradition Update
The New Zealand High Court rejects Dotcom’s latest attempt to block extradition.
Napster Back in Legal Trouble
MLC terminates Napster’s blanket license; separate ruling slashes attorney’s fees in songwriter class action.