George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School

Despite Professors’ Misleading Rhetoric, CLASSICS is a Big Win for Everyone

the word "copyright" typed on a typewriterBy Matthew Barblan

America’s music industry is experiencing a historic moment. For the first time ever, stakeholders from across the industry have set aside their differences and come together to find a way to modernize our music licensing system. And what’s more, these diverse stakeholders—ranging from artists and record labels, to songwriters and music publishers, to the technology companies that distribute music throughout the country—have finally agreed on a framework for legislative reform. Read more

Debunking Criticism of the Copyright Small Claims Act

Cross-posted from the Mister Copyright blog.

the word "copyright" typed on a typewriterIt’s been six weeks since the Copyright Alternative in Small Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act (H.R.3945) was introduced to Congress by a bipartisan coalition of Representatives, and while there’s an abundance of support among politicians, creators, artists’ rights organizations, and the Copyright Office, some have been critical of the legislation. Read more

CPIP Fall Conference Papers Highlight How Intellectual Property Rights Promote Global Prosperity

2016 Fall Conference flyerBy Alex Summerton

The George Mason Law Review has just published the papers from our Fourth Annual Fall Conference, Intellectual Property & Global Prosperity, which was held at Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University, in Arlington, Virginia, on October 6-7, 2016. Read more

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author T.J. Stiles Makes the Case for Copyright

a shelf full of booksOn October 12th and 13th, the Center for the Protection of Intellectual Property (CPIP) hosted its Fifth Annual Fall Conference at Antonin Scalia Law School in Arlington, Virginia. The event brought together scholars, industry professionals, and practicing attorneys to discuss recent developments in intellectual property law and to present meaningful policy reform proposals. Read more

Stream Ripping Emerges as the New Face of Music Piracy

Cross-posted from the Mister Copyright blog.

chrome 3D copyright symbolAs formats change and advances in technology continue to transform the way we listen to music, new methods of pirating content are never far behind. What started with the analog dubbing and bootlegging of cassettes forty years ago evolved with the digital age into CD burning and MP3 sharing, eventually leading to a chaotic illegal downloading landscape at the turn of the century that would force the music industry to develop novel anti-piracy efforts and distribution models. Read more

Mayweather v. McGregor Warrants Preemptive Anti-Piracy Efforts

hand holding remote pointed towards a TV screen showing a sports gameThis Saturday, the world will be treated to one of the most hyped events in the history of sports when “The Notorious “ Conor McGregor and Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. meet in Las Vegas to become (even more) rich while ostensibly also participating in a boxing match. Read more

Court Confirms the Obvious: Aiding and Abetting Criminal Copyright Infringement Is a Crime

Cross-posted from the Law Theories blog.

closeup of a circuit boardIn July of 2016, a criminal complaint was filed in the Northern District of Illinois alleging that Artem Vaulin of the Ukraine was the mastermind behind the popular torrent site, Kickass Torrents (KAT). At the time, KAT was one of the largest pirate sites in the world, with an estimated 50 million unique visitors each month. Read more

Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) Unites to Fight Online Piracy

hand holding remote pointed towards a TV screen showing a sports gameAs digital piracy shifts away from torrent downloads and towards unauthorized streaming and theft-based extortion, stakeholders from all parts of the creativity community are reassessing their efforts to fight online infringement. This week, a global coalition of creators and leading on-demand entertainment services joined forces to better address the ever-evolving threat that piracy poses not only to artists and copyright owners, but to consumers and end users. Read more

From Star Wars to La La Land: How Intellectual Property Fuels Films

The following post comes from Mandi Hart, a rising third-year law student at Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University, who worked as a video producer before going to law school.

cameraBy Mandi Hart

Movies are a first-love in America and around the world, and their production is made possible by the existence of intellectual property (IP) rights. Read more