Media Law Final Flashcards
What CAN be copyrighted
Literary works (including computer programs) musical works dramatic works pantomimes and choreographic works pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works Audio-Visual works Sound recordings architectural works
For copyright, works MUST be
original
fixed in a tangible meaning of expression
moderately creative
What CAN’T be copyrighted?
Facts and ideas Procedures, processes, systems, etc. Scenes á faire Titles and names Typefaces United States Government Documents Works in Public Domain
Who qualifies for copyright?
Original Authors
Works for Hire
Who has the copyright for works for hire?
The employer: if the created work was created within the boundaries of what the employee was hired to do
What are the Six Exclusive Rights?
Reproduction of the works Subsequent works Performance of the works Distribution of the works Display of the work Digital transmission of the work
What is the First Sale Doctrine?
Entitles the lawful owner of a copyrighted work to sell, transfer, or dispose of the work without infringement
Sally finishes writing a script, when is it copyrighted?
The ownership of a copyright automatically vests in the author when it is created
how long is a Single Author Copyright?
The life of the author+70 years after death
How long is a Multiple Authors Copyright?
The life of the last surviving author+70 years after death
How long is a Work for hire, pseudonymous, anonymous copyright?
95 years after the date of publications or 120 years after creation, whichever comes first
What is the Length of a copyright?
If created before 1978, generally speaking 28 years with the option to renew for a second 28 years (and sometimes more depending on when the work was created)
If a copyright is infringed upon, what must the plaintiff prove?
Ownership at the time of infringement
Violations of one or more exclusive rights by substantial similarity by copy
What is “Strict Liability” offense?
It doesn’t matter if the defendant intended to infringe on the copyright or not
What are the ways a defendant can be liable for copyright infringement?
Direct Liability
contributory liability
vicarious liability
You directly infringe on a copyright
Direct Liability
You give tools that help someone else infringe on a copyright
Contributory Liability
Holds an employer (or supervisor) liable when an employee infringes on a copyright
Vicarious Liability
The unauthorized sharing of copyrighted media files
File sharing
Provided a central site for sharing copyrighted files was contributory and vicarious infringement
A&M Records v. Napster Inc.
Provided technology that could allow copyright infringement was not necessarily infringement itself if the technology was capable of substantial non-infringing uses
Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios
If the software’s primary use is for infringement and there is evidence of an affirmative intent to infringe, then it is infringement.
MGM Studios v. Grokster
Makes it illegal to circumvent digital rights management technology directly or to import, offer to the public, provide, or otherwise traffic in any technology, product or service that can circumvent technological measures used to control access to copyrighted works.
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
What is the Exemption for internet service providers?
Transitory digital network communications
System Caching
Information residing on systems
Information location tools
Do the exemptions under the DMCA—its ‘safe harbor’—shield YouTube from liability?
Viacom v. Youtube
How long does a copyright holder have after infringement to file a lawsuit? To whom does the lawsuit go to? What else can happen?
A copyright holder has 3 years after infringement to file a civil lawsuit in FEDERAL court and is given an opportunity to obtain a temporary restraining order and injunction to stop ongoing infringement.
What are the Civil Remedies?
Actual damages, along with any of infringer’s profits from illegal use
how much are the Statutory damages?
they range from $750 to $30,000 per infringing act, and for willful infringement, up to $150,000 per infringing act
What is under Fair Use?
Criticism
Comment
News reporting
Teaching, scholarship, and research
3 students plan to order 1 textbook and make 2 more copies to save money. is that fair use?
Even though it is for teaching, scholarship, and research, no it is not in Fair Use
What is the Four Prong Analysis?
The purpose of the character of the infringing use
The nature of the copyrighted work
The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work
The effect of the use upon the potential market for or the value of the copyrighted work
If it is a matter of PUBLIC CONCERN, is it fair use to infringe?
No that is NOT enough
Are Parodies fair use?
Parodies are typically fair use BUT you should go through the four-prong analysis before creating the parody
In order for the parody to enjoy fair use, the copyrighted work must be the “target” of the satire, rather than being just an imitation of the work.
Is Hyperlinking copyright infringement?
No (it is fair use)
Are social medias (Twitter and Facebook) fair use?
it depends. If you are reposting a post from another account with the “retweet” option or “share” option, it is considered fair use, if you save the post and post it as your own, it is considered copyright infringement
What happened in Agence France Presse v Morel
Agence frace presse posted a copyrighted picture of Morel on twitter, Morel went to sue, not dropping the case, the courts pointed out that the licenes agreement was for twitter not its users, as a general guideline it is better to link an interesting article or photo than to copy and repost it
Using a portion of a sound recording, video, or photograph in a separate work
Sampling
do you need to use the four-prong analysis for sampling?
Yes.
How many licenses do you need for music?
- one for the sound recording, one for the composition