3 Count: Stern Warnings

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1: NBC Universal Warns File-Sharers of Criminal Prosecution

First off today, Ernesto at Torrentfreak writes that NBC Universal has been sending notices to individuals suspected of file sharing that have included stern warnings about potential criminal action and other legal repercussions.

NBC is one of the copyright holders that is a part of the Copyright Alert System, which is a cooperative effort between copyright holders and ISPs to warn suspected file sharers of infringement and, after a series of four or more warnings, take limited action including throttling their acess. However, not all ISPs are a part of the system and, for those that aren’t, NBC has been sending out Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices, which are delivered to suspected file sharers.

Those notices strike a different tone than the ones sent through the Copyright Alert System, which are standardized and focus on educational efforts. The DMCA notices threaten strong legal action, including criminal enforcement and suspension of Internet service. This shows that NBC is taking a two-tiered approach, using a much softer hand with users on ISPs that are a part of the Copyright Alert System than those who are not.

2: Spain Cracking Down on Copyright Infringement, Online Piracy

Next up today, Complete Music Update writes that new copyright legislation in Spain my attempt to target advertisers who have their ads appear on sites engaged in piracy.

The new legislation increases fines for sites that fail to remove copyrighted works after a notification and, more importantly, sanctions against advertisers whose ads appear on sites associated with piracy operations, handing down fines between 30,000 and 300,000 Euros ($38,314 to $383,140)

Details as to how the law would be enforced are not clear but the law comes on the heels of a site blocking provision bill that, while controversial for alleged censorship, has also been dubbed ineffective by many rightsholders.

3: “Sailor Moon” Fan Zine Kickstarter Shut Down Due to Copyright Dispute

Finally today, Scott Green at Cruchyroll writes that a Kickstarter crowd funding campaign for a fanzine of the popular japanese Manga Sailor Moon franchise was shut down following a copyright complaint by Random House, which holds the distribution rights in North America.

The fanzine, entitled “Moon Power” was to feature artwork based on the franchise from 45 fans of the series. The use of Sailor Moon characters in the artwork prompted Random House to file a DMCA takedown notice, citing copyright infringement.

The Kickstarter had raised some $8,500 in funding before it was closed.

Suggestions

That’s it for the three count today. We will be back tomorrow with three more copyright links. If you have a link that you want to suggest a link for the column or have any proposals to make it better. Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. I hope to hear from you.

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