intellectual property

Payment Processor Best Practices for Online Copyright Infringement

What it Means for Musicians

Monday, October 24, 2011

Intellectual property theft on the internet is as rampant as it is difficult to effectively curtail. Musicians are among those who earn a living — at least in part — from their copyrights, which is why Future of Music Coalition is generally supportive of efforts to protect artists’ rights online. read more

Internet Streaming Bill: Good, Bad or… Meh?

Over the past few weeks, the wonkier neighborhoods of the internet have been buzzing about a new bill introduced by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) that would make illegal streaming of copyrighted works a felony. Most of the bill’s critics worry that the amendments would allow the government to throw YouTube users, online video game tournament streamers and other seemingly minor infringers in jail. We at FMC feel that even though the bill would likely have less impact on musicians than it would on fans internet users in general, it’s important to describe what’s actually, you know, in the bill. Because not all of what you might hear is accurate. read more

Making Sense of the Streaming Felony Bill

Liz Allen, 2011 Google Policy Fellow

Monday, July 18, 2011

Making Sense of S. 978: Streaming as Felony?

By Liz Allen, 2011 Future of Music Policy Fellow

You may have heard about a new bill introduced by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) that would make illegal streaming of copyrighted works a felony. If not, you can take our word for it when we say that it’s produced some strong reactions on blogs, message boards and social networks.

PROTECT-IP Fact Sheet

Monday, June 27, 2011

Fact Sheet

The “Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act” (PROTECT IP) is a bill currently introduced in the Senate [PDF]. It creates more opportunities for the government and interested individuals to police websites engaged in activities that infringe intellectual property (IP) rights.

[This post was co-authored by FMC Policy Counsel Chris Naoum]

Last week’s potential federal government shutdown grabbed a lot of headlines, but it wasn’t the only action in DC. On Wednesday, April 6, Congress took aim at “pirates, bad actors, and parasites” in the second House Judiciary Committee hearing on what they are calling “rogue websites.” read more

IP Enforcement and the State of the Net

Today, Future of Music Coalition checked out the State of the Net Conference — an annual event in Washington, DC hosted by the Advisory Committee to the Congressional Internet Caucus.

State of the Net (or SOTN, as known to the Twitterverse), examines current issues at the intersection of technology and policy. Throw some music in there, and we’re good to go.

We’ve attended this event before, and are always impressed at the healthy mix of tech experts, legal eagles and wonks it attracts. This year was no exception. read more

US Copyright Official Pretends That Concerns About ACTA Are Unfounded; Mocks Legitimate Concerns

By Mike Masnick

Techdirt

May 27, 2010

The session kicks off with U.S. Copyright Office official Steven Tepp defending ACTA, by saying right from the outset, “Quite candidly, we’re in the midst of a worldwide epidemic of copyright piracy.” What kind of epidemic? Well, he uses that old line about how organized crime groups and terrorists are being funded by copyright infringement — a claim that the industry keeps making, but which makes little sense. Even if it were true that some crime operations are selling bootleg DVDs and such, aren’t they under the same, if not more, pressure from unauthorized internet file sharing?

Even Better Than the Real Thing? Virtual Bands and the Future of Music

Today's post is by FMC intern Peter Haugen, who has a penetrating mind for all manner of speculative musical phenomenon!

It's Friday! Can't think of a better time to speculate on the future of. . . you guessed it.

While flying cars and jetpacks have yet to become a practical reality (but let's not give up hope!), a recent YouTube video serves as a reminder that, musically speaking, the future is closer than we think. If you haven't seen this video yet, try listening to the first two minutes with your eyes closed. read more

FMC's Michael Bracy on NPR's "Sound Opinions"

By Greg Kot, Jim DeRogatis

Sound Opinions

October 2, 2009

In the news this week is President Obama?s appointment of Victoria Espinel as the new Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, or as she?ll likely be known, IP Czar. Jim and Greg talk to Michael Bracy, the Policy Director at the Future of Music Coalition, about this appointment. Bracy gets the sense that Espinel is pretty safely down the middle of copyright issues, and believes the Obama administration is more concerned with access to internet and competition. He explains that until a legitimate digital media marketplace fully evolves, it remains to be seen how copyright laws should changed and be approached differently in the courts. Bracy and the folks at the FMC will be continuing discussions on this topic and more at their annual summit this weekend in Washington D.C.

intellectual property

Payment Processor Best Practices for Online Copyright Infringement

Internet Streaming Bill: Good, Bad or… Meh?

Making Sense of the Streaming Felony Bill

PROTECT-IP Fact Sheet

Going "Rogue" on the Hill

IP Enforcement and the State of the Net

US Copyright Official Pretends That Concerns About ACTA Are Unfounded; Mocks Legitimate Concerns

Even Better Than the Real Thing? Virtual Bands and the Future of Music

FMC's Michael Bracy on NPR's "Sound Opinions"

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