Re:Create At SXSW 2017 – Vote For Us! For a second consecutive year, the Re:Create Coalition is applying to bring the copyright conversation to SXSW. Our panel, Know Your CopyRIGHTS as a Digital Creator, features a YouTube personality, a journalist/author and a digital attorney to discuss fair use, what is considered infringement and other complex copyright regulations. Show us your…

Stephen Colbert’s Identical Twin Cousin Raises Copyright Issues. During CBS’ “Late Show” coverage of the DNC, comedian Stephen Colbert resurrected his eponymous “Colbert Show” character. Shortly after airing the episode, Colbert announced on-air that lawyers contacted CBS to claim the character of Stephen Colbert as Comedy Central’s intellectual property before introducing his “identical twin cousin” also named Stephen Colbert. “I…

Re:Create Executive Director Interviewed On Sirius XM POTUS. Josh Lamel, Executive Director of the Re:Create Coalition, spoke on Sirius XM POTUS’ Morning Briefing on Monday to talk about the use of popular music at campaigns. Lamel explained that Trump’s use of songs at the Republican National Convention was likely covered by a comprehensive music license for a public performance and…

On Monday, July 25, Josh Lamel, Executive Director of the Re:Create Coalition was a guest on Morning Briefing on the Sirius XM Radio POTUS channel to discuss the legality of Trump’s use of the Queen song, “We are the champions” as well as other copyright and licensing issues. You can listen to the entire interview below.  

Re:Create Highlights Role Of Fair Use At Comic-Con. As artists, creators and fans descend upon Comic-Con International in San Diego this week, the Re:Create Coalition released its “Fair Use At Comic-Con” infographic. The infographic highlights how often the fan fiction community interacts with fair use, from vlogging, to showcasing your homemade Steampunk Batman costume, to writing a new chapter of…

As artists, creators and fans of all shapes and sizes descend upon Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA this week, the principle of fair use will be there with them. No, fair use is not the name of a new caped character, but it is a different kind of superhero to the fan fiction community. Fair use is a part…

WaPo Editorial Board: Senate Should Give Librarian Of Congress Nominee A Vote. Yesterday, the Senate approved Dr. Carla Hayden to become the fourteenth Librarian of Congress. Earlier in the week, The Washington Post Editorial Board urged the Senate to give Dr. Carla Hayden “the consideration she deserves” following reports that partisan infighting delayed Senate approval. Following her confirmation, the American…

Without DMCA’s Safe Harbor Provisions, New Platforms Wouldn’t Exist. Re:Create Coalition Executive Director Josh Lamel penned an op-ed in Engadget, Let’s Fight to Protect the Democratization of Creativity, on Section 512 and the recent roundtables held by the U.S. Copyright Office. In the piece he argues proposed changes to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) could impose irrevocable harm: “Without…

Section 230(c)(1) of the Communications Decency Act (CDA) states that “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” Section 230 provides immunity to online service providers and intermediaries for the content created and posted by their users. It was enacted in 1996…

In its recent decision in the long-running Kirtsaeng v. Wiley copyright litigation, the Supreme Court provided much needed clarification of the appropriate standards for lower courts to apply in determining when to award attorneys’ fees to the prevailing party. But perhaps the most important passage of the Court’s unanimous opinion, written by Justice Kagan, concerns the purpose of the Copyright…