Features
<b>Decision of Note: </b>'Holla Back' Hook Not Infringing
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that there was no substantial similarity between the hook in the plaintiff's song and the hook in the defendant's song that would support an inference of copying
Issues in Licensing Music for Podcasts
Even amateur podcasters know that there are legal concerns with podcasting music. As the law stands now, a podcaster must secure permission for every copyrighted sound-recording master. This would be extremely time-consuming and expensive ' even for NPR, let alone individual podcasters. On the other hand, acquiring the rights to use the songs embodied in podcasts may not be as big a problem because the statutory compulsory license applicable to the mechanical reproduction of musical compositions probably applies to podcasts. In addition, blanket public-performance licenses are already offered by ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.
Legislative Recommendations By The Canadian Task Force On Spam Legislation, Regulation And Enforcement
The following points are from the task force's report. Numbering was kept from the report for reference purposes. Canadian spellings were also retained.…
<i>WhenU</i> Helps Keyword Companies See Clearly
The recent decision in <i>1-800 Contacts, Inc. v. WhenU.com</i> is an important case in the murky law relating to keywords. Many companies use keywords in some form to generate revenue, from search engines selling keywords to trigger banner ads or the pop-up business described in the <i>WhenU</i> decision. <br>The case is particularly important for companies such as Google not only because keyword sales represent a substantial portion of their revenue, but also because obtaining legal precedent supporting this kind of business has been inconsistent.
e-Commerce DOCKET SHEET
Recent cases in e-commerce law and in the e-commerce industry.
Trademark Law Shapes Internet Pop-up Ads
Despite their negative public images and being the target of much private invective, Internet pop-up ads and unsolicited commercial e-mail (spam) have transfigured marketing ' and, like spam, Internet pop-ups can be lawful if they are not deceptive. <br>That said, trademark infringement may be the only successful cause of action against Internet pop-up advertisers and getting them to change their business methods.
Features
Law School To Launch Law Practice Technology Program
A select group of New York Law School students will soon begin a unique, hands-on course in the practicalities of cyberlaw designed to make young lawyers extremely attractive to law-firm recruiters who hail primarily from the technophobic generation.
Canada Strikes At Spam
The Government of Canada's Task Force on Spam concluded that the current laws governing spam are not good enough. While Canada alone is not able to deal with the spam problem nationwide, it must at least deal with the spammers in its own backyard. The current legal framework contains some significant holes and the task force's recommendations call for a spam-specific law accompanied by a new separate body to work on policy and enforcement coordination.
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- Abandoned and Unused Cables: A Hidden Liability Under the 2002 National Electric CodeIn an effort to minimize the release of toxic gasses from cables in the event of fire, the 2002 version of the National Electric Code ("NEC"), promulgated by the National Fire Protection Association, sets forth new guidelines requiring that abandoned cables must be removed from buildings unless they are located in metal raceways or tagged "For Future Use." While the NEC is not, in itself, binding law, most jurisdictions in the United States adopt the NEC by reference in their state or local building and fire codes. Thus, noncompliance with the recent NEC guidelines will likely mean that a building is in violation of a building or fire code. If so, the building owner may also be in breach of agreements with tenants and lenders and may be jeopardizing its fire insurance coverage. Even in jurisdictions where the 2002 NEC has not been adopted, it may be argued that the guidelines represent the standard of reasonable care and could result in tort liability for the landlord if toxic gasses from abandoned cables are emitted in a fire. With these potential liabilities in mind, this article discusses: 1) how to address the abandoned wires and cables currently located within the risers, ceilings and other areas of properties, and 2) additional considerations in the placement and removal of telecommunications cables going forward.Read More ›
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