Part 4: The Internet and Intellectual Property

1. Linking Liability (and DVDs too)

  1. Reading
    1. Universal Studios v. Reimerdes ("MPAA v. 2600") , opinion, 111 F.Supp.2d 294 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 17, 2000), or PDF file ,  Sections II.C & III.  (We will be discussing the earlier part of the case in the next set of readings, so you may wish to read the whole thing).
    2. Universal Studios v. Reimerdes ("MPAA v. 2600"), amended final judgment, 111 F.Supp.2d 346 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 19, 2000).
    3. Ticketmaster v. Tickets.com (C.D.Cal Aug 10, 2000), http://www.gigalaw.com/library/ticketmaster-tickets-2000-08-10-p1.html
    4. Selected foreign cases: Japan and Netherlands .
    5. Ebay v. Bidder's Edge, 100 F.Supp.2d 1058 (N.D.Cal. 2000). Westlaw copy or HTML version
  2. Optional Reading
    1. The Link Controversy Page
    2. Dan Burk, Proprietary Rights in Hypertext Linkages, 1998 J. Info. L. & Tech. (June 30, 1998)
    3. People with no background in copyright may find Pam Samuelson's copyright tutorial helpful.

2. DeCSS

  1. Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA), Pl. 105-305, aka H.R. 2281.   This is long, and I don't expect you to read it all, but please do look carefully at the anti-circumvention language and the exceptions.  Also, refer to it as needed while reading Universal Studios.  The text is in your packet, but if you want an online text of this bill you can find one by searching for it under the bill number (HR 2281) at THOMAS
  2. Read the full text of the the Universal Studios v. Reimerdes case above.
  3. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Copyright Office, Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies, 65 Fed Reg 64556 (Oct. 27, 2000) to be codified at 37 CFR Part 201, http://www.loc.gov/copyright/new.html
  4. Richard Stallman, Free Software Foundation, The Right to Read
  5. 2600, Analysis of the Decsion Against 2600
  6. If you have a way of playing MP3s, please play this one.
Optional
  1. Steven Bonisteel, Newsbytes, DVD-Cracking Lawsuit Targets T-Shirt-Borne Code
  2. View the offending item here
  3. Corey Grice, CNet News.com, MP3.com yanks song with illegal DVD-hacking code

3. Napster/Gnutella/Freenet

  1. Andy Oram, Gnutella and Freenet Represent True Technological Innovation
  2. Eyan Adar & Bernardo  A. Huberman, Free Riding on Gnutella
  3. Kevin Featherly, MP3 Suit Blames AOL for Music Piracy
  4. A & M Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc, 2000 WL 1182467,(N.D.Cal. Aug. 10, 2000).
  5. Selections from the Napster briefs
Optional. Gorge yourself on the full set of Napster briefs. (Requires pdf reader.)

4. Domain Names and Trademarks

  1. You might want to begin by reading Chapter 1 of the WIPO report (below) - it's optional, but it gives a general introduction to the issues.
  2. Panavision v. Toeppen, 938 F.Supp. 616 (C.D.Cal.,1996).
  3. Planned Parenthood Fed. v. Bucci, 42 U.S.P.Q.2d 1430, 1997 WL 133313 (S.D.N.Y. 1997), aff’d, 152 F.3d. 920 (2d Cir. 1998) (table), cert. denied, 119 S.Ct. 90 (1998).
  4. Avery Dennison Corp. v. Sumpton  (9th Cir. Aug. 23, 1999)
  5. British Telecom v. One In A Million Ltd. (England, Court of Appeal 1998)
  6. WIPO, The Management of Internet Names and Addresses: Intellectual Property Issues. chapters 3 & 4.  I also recommend, but do not require, the Introduction and Chapter 1.  The key paragraphs of chapter 3 for our purposes are 129-151, 170-188, 194-196.  I think you should read all of Chapter 4.
  7. Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), PL 106-113, November 29, 1999, 113 Stat 1501
  8. 2600, How Many Legal Threats Can We Get This Year (note: to view online version you need to go to the 2600 homepage and search for the link)
  9. Froomkin Semi-Private International Rulemaking: Lessons Learned from the WIPO Domain Name Process
  10. WIPO2 RFC 2


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