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Digital Media and the New U.S. Copyright Office Compendium
Much has been written about the so-called “monkey selfie” and the dispute about whether nature photographer David Slater owns a photo snapped by a macaque monkey. See, http://bit.ly/1zJJIjf. The popular story sprung out of the U.S. Copyright Office's proclamation, in its new draft Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices (Compendium), that it will not register works produced by “nature, animals or plants.”'But as entertaining as that story is, there are more practical and far-reaching consequences for businesses that arise out the Copyright Office's overhaul of its standards and practices. This is especially true for digital and Internet-based businesses and technologies. This article identifies some of those issues ' and raises questions that remain as the Copyright Office works to finalize and implement its new standards by the end of this year.
Background
In August, the Copyright Office released its first revision to the Compendium in nearly three decades. The Compendium is used by Copyright Office staff as a general guide to policies and procedures ' and it's a good resource for businesses and practitioners seeking copyright protections. And while the Compendium has no legal force in court, it could potentially serve as persuasive authority in copyright litigation, similar to the way the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Manual of Patent Examining Procedure is cited in patent litigation.
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Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
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