+++ Choreography Copyright Confirmed in Lawsuit Against Fortnite Maker Epic Games
+++ Movie Studio Seeks Dismissal In Copyright Lawsuit Over “Top Gun: Maverick” Movie
+++ Hollywood Views Copyright Law Sufficient To Address AI-Infringement And Beyond
+++ Amazon Sued For Failing To Issue Refunds
Choreography Copyright Confirmed in Lawsuit Against Fortnite Maker Epic Games
Choreographer Kyle Hanagami’s lawsuit against Fortnite maker Epic Games, accusing them of stealing his dance choreography for the in-game emote “It’s Complicated,” has been reinstated by the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The lower court had dismissed the case, but the appeals court disagreed, stating that the choreography was a substantial component of Hanagami’s work. The case will go back to court. This mirrors previous lawsuits against Epic for allegedly stealing dance moves, dropped in 2019 due to a Supreme Court ruling.
Read the full report on TechCrunch.
Read the case Kyle Hanagami v. EPIC Games Inc, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, No. 22-55890
Movie Studio Seeks Dismissal In Copyright Lawsuit Over “Top Gun: Maverick” Movie
Paramount Pictures has requested a California federal court to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that “Top Gun: Maverick” violated the copyright of reporter Ehud Yonay’s heirs, who claim the film is a derivative work of Yonay’s article “Top Guns.” Paramount argues that the films are dissimilar, sharing only the subject of Top Gun, to which the heirs have no special right. The Yonays counter that “Maverick” infringes on their copyright, claiming Paramount ignores the significant similarities and creative choices made in crafting the original article. The legal dispute centers on exclusive movie rights obtained by Paramount for Yonay’s article.
Read the full report on Reuters.
Read the case Shosh and Yuval Yonay v. Paramount Pictures et al, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, No. 2:22-cv-03846-PA-GJS
Hollywood Views Copyright Law Sufficient To Address AI-Infringement And Beyond
Hollywood, typically an advocate for expanding copyright laws, surprisingly agrees with the view that existing copyright doctrines are sufficient to address AI-related questions. The Motion Picture Association (MPA) suggests that current laws provide the necessary tools for handling AI issues within copyright frameworks. This stance may be influenced by ongoing strikes in the entertainment industry, where AI plays a central role. The MPA is cautious about potential limitations on AI use if copyright laws are revisited. However, the article criticizes the MPA’s sweeping generalizations on fair use and emphasizes the need for nuanced considerations. The unusual alignment of interests in the AI space is noted, with internet properties opposing copyright expansion while some in Hollywood express concerns. The article emphasizes the importance of taking principled stands for the internet, people, and innovation.
Read the full report on Techdirt.
Read the matter Artificial Intelligence and Copyright, U.S. Copyright Office, No. USCO 2023-6
Amazon Sued For Failing To Issue Refunds
Amazon is being sued in a class action lawsuit in Seattle for allegedly failing to issue refunds for returned products, violating its own policies, and engaging in a systematic scheme that deceived customers through unfair trade practices. This follows previous legal action, including an antitrust complaint by the Federal Trade Commission against Amazon. The new case, represented by Holly Jones Clark, claims widespread issues with refunds and cites instances where customers were not reimbursed after returns.
Read the full report on GeekWire.
Read the case Holly Jones Clarke v. Amazon.com Inc, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington at Seattle, No. 2:23-cv-01702
More Headlines
- AI: OpenAI To Pay Legal Fees Of Business Users Hit With Copyright Lawsuits (via Forbes)
- Antitrust: What to know about Fortnite maker Epic Games’ antitrust battle with Google, starting today (via TechCrunch)
- Antitrust: Fight for Your Right . . . To Fight? Breaking Down the UFC’s Antitrust Lawsuit (via Romano Law)
- Copyright: Lil Wayne, Birdman Sued Over Copyright (via Essence)
- Finance: Bitwise co-founders face federal charges alleging $100-million fraud scheme (via Los Angeles Times)
- Finance: EU business crowdfunding is now bound by bloc-wide regulations (via TechCrunch)
- Privacy: Amazon Prime privacy lawsuit dismissed (via IAPP)
- Privacy: Your car can keep collecting your data after a judge dismissed a privacy lawsuit (via The Verge)
- Privacy: YouTube’s Ad Blocker Detection Believed to Break EU Privacy Law (via WIRED)
- Privacy: Prince Harry Can Proceed With Privacy Lawsuit Against Daily Mail Publisher, U.K. Judge Rules (via Variety)
- Privacy: FTC brings updated complaint against data broker Kochava (via IAPP)
- Social Media: Lawsuit claims Mark Zuckerberg ignored warnings about Instagram, mental health (via ABC)
- Social Media: Video chat site Omegle shuts down after 14 years — and an abuse victim’s lawsuit (via NPR)
In Other News (or publications you should read)
- Richard Allen’s regulate.tech blog: How to regulate the internet without breaking it
- Benjamin Wittes, Robert Chesney, Jack Goldsmith’s lawfare: Hard national security choices
- Julie Zerbo’s the fashion law (TFL)
- Justin Hendrix’ tech policy press: technology and democracy
- Eugene Volokh The Volokh Conspiracy
- Eric Goldman’s Technology & Marketing Law Blog
- Mike Masnick’s Techdirt
This post originated from my publication Codifying Chaos.