3 Count: Oh, Adobe…

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1: US Sues Photoshop Maker Adobe for Hiding Fees, Making It Difficult to Cancel

First off today, Jonathan Stempel at Reuters reports that the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Adobe, alleging that the company forced customers into annual contracts against their will.

Adobe makes popular creator software such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro and Indesign. However, according to the FTC, the company is not transparent about its subscription service terms, saying it hides the year-long commitment and early termination fees.

Though Adobe denies the allegations, they are the latest anti-consumer allegations against the company. Recently, a change in their terms of service sparked fears of a copyright overreach by the company. The company has said it is amending and clarifying those terms.

2: Sony DMCA Notice Nukes 200 Aniyomi Extensions as Tachiyomi Fork Feels Heat

Next up today, Andy Maxwell at Torrentfreak writes that Sony Pictures has filed a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice with GitHub that has removed some 200+ extensions for the Aniyomi manga reader.

The story began six months ago when the developers behind the popular Tachiyomi manga reader were forced to cease development. They had received a threat from the South Korean publisher Kakao, alleging that the app enabled access to pirated content.

However, the project was open source and a new group of developers forked it, creating Tachiyomi. Now, a DMCA notice by Sony has wiped out over 200 of the app’s extensions, leaving only three behind. However, it is unclear how many of those extensions were infringing and if any were collateral damage.

3: US Lawmakers Write to Copyright Office About Spotify Bundle

Finally today, Stuart Dredge at Music Ally reports that three members of Congress have sent a letter to the United States Copyright Office (USCO) raising “serious questions” regarding Spotify’s recent move to reduce royalties paid to musicians.

Spotify recently reclassified its premium tier as a “bundle” with audiobooks. The move means that Spotify will pay a lower royalty rate to musicians since music is just one part of the bundle plan.

However, Congressmen Adam Schiff, Ted Lieu and Senator Marsha Blackburn have sent a letter to the USCO asking if these actions align with the intent of the recent Music Modernization Act and what protections there are against abuse. The National Music Publishers Association has already filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and referred the issue to 10 state’s attorneys general.

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