Wikileaks cables reveal that the US wrote Spain's proposed copyright law; BoingBoing.net, 12/3/10

Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing.net; Wikileaks cables reveal that the US wrote Spain's proposed copyright law:

"Spain's Congress is about to vote on a new and extremely harsh copyright/Internet law. It's an open secret that the law was essentially drafted by American industry groups working with the US trade representative."

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/12/03/wikileaks-cables-rev.html

Is it time for term limits for the Copyright Office's Register?; ArsTechnica.com, 12/7/10

Matthew Lasar, ArsTechnica.com; Is it time for term limits for the Copyright Office's Register?:

""The discussions surrounding copyright policy impact more constituencies than ever before," A Copyright Office for the 21st Century recommends. All the more reason for the Register to have a "nuanced understanding" of all the stakeholders affected by copyright rules.

"Unfortunately, each year that the Register is head of the Copyright Office makes it harder to maintain that type of connection," PK notes. "Furthermore, it increases the possibility that he or she will favor one or more existing stakeholders groups over newly emergent ones. Effective policy making requires the regular infusion of new blood and new ideas.""

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/12/is-it-time-for-term-limits-for-the-copyright-offices-register.ars

MPAA Sends Letter to Thousands of Colleges About Copyright Rules; Wired Campus, 12/6/10

Jeff Young, Wired Campus; MPAA Sends Letter to Thousands of Colleges About Copyright Rules:

"The Motion Picture Association of American began sending letters to thousands of colleges and university presidents today, alerting them that the industry group will start notifying colleges whenever it detects illegal trading of Hollywood films and hit TV shows on their campuses."

http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/mpaa-sends-letter-to-thousands-of-colleges-about-copyright-rules/28552

US Online Counterfeit Crackdown Has Industry Beaming; Intellectual Property Watch, 11/29/10

Intellectual Property Watch; US Online Counterfeit Crackdown Has Industry Beaming:

"In a move aimed to protect domestic intellectual property rights, the United States Justice Department today announced the suspension of 82 internet domain names on suspicion of selling counterfeit sports equipment, clothes and DVDs, music and software. But some used the opportunity to engage in scaremongering such as safety of families from harmful counterfeits, though none of the products involved appeared to fit that fear."

http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2010/11/29/us-counterfeit-crackdown-has-industry-beaming/

U.S. Government Seizes 82 Websites: A Glimpse at the Draconian Future of Copyright Enforcement?; Electronic Frontier Foundation, 11/29/10

Corynne McSherry, Electronic Frontier Foundation; U.S. Government Seizes 82 Websites: A Glimpse at the Draconian Future of Copyright Enforcement?:

"This type of seizure is not unprecedented, but we haven’t seen it happen on such a broad scale before. This kind of mass action raises at least three concerns"...

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/11/us-government-seizes-82-websites-draconian-future

Google's bookstore may launch in time for the holidays; ArsTechnica.com, 12/1/10

John Timmer, ArsTechnica.com; Google's bookstore may launch in time for the holidays:

"Google's settlement with book copyright owners may still be meandering through the courts, but that's apparently not going to stop the search giant from launching an online bookstore. The company's book settlement, which would give Google the right to offer out-of-print books for sale, is still awaiting approval or modification by a New York court...

For now, however, the books on offer will simply mirror what's available from other retailers, which primarily means books currently in print and a back catalog of works old enough to be out of copyright."

http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2010/12/googles-book-store-may-launch-in-time-for-the-holidays.ars

Why is the Department of Homeland Security shutting down popular rap sites?; Entertainment Weekly, 11/30/10

Simon Vozick-Levinson, Entertainment Weekly; Why is the Department of Homeland Security shutting down popular rap sites?:

"Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security seized over 80 websites for alleged copyright and trademark violations. Caught up along with many sites alleged to be selling counterfeit clothing and other products were five entertainment websites, including the popular hip-hop blogs OnSmash.com and dajaz1.com."

http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/11/30/homeland-security-rap-blog/