Re:Create Urges U.S. Senate To Oppose S.1010. Last week, after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to make the Register of Copyrights a presidentially-appointed position, the Senate introduced a companion bill. In a statement, the Re:Create Coalition encouraged Senators to reject the legislation: “The Copyright Office’s mission to serve the public is too important and must be protected. The Senate has the opportunity to focus on the real problem at hand, which is to modernize the Copyright Office for the digital age. We urge Senators to oppose the Register of Copyrights bill.”
“Blurred Lines” Between Copyright Infringement And Creative Inspiration. In a Cincinnati Enquirer column, legal expert Jack Greiner weighed in on the “Blurred Lines” copyright lawsuit between Robin Thicke/Pharrell Williams and the estate of Marvin Gaye, explaining how this lawsuit hinged on the music’s “vibe” as opposed to the sheet music. “Artists are constantly inspired by the styles they see and hear. Think Bruce Springsteen wasn’t inspired by Bob Dylan? And how many artists have been inspired in turn by Springsteen? No one should be able to blatantly copy another artist’s work. But conversely, no artist can lay claim to a ‘vibe,'” Greiner wrote.
Put It On A T-Shirt: Design In The Digital Age. Ars Technica highlighted how even in an age of extreme copyright enforcement, online t-shirt design websites like RIPT Apparel and TeePublic are thriving as they “regularly mix and mash up properties, pulling together corners of pop culture that may never have crossed before in order to create a unique declaration of fandom.” Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Mitch Stoltz noted the companies are protected under the DMCA and explained why some rightsholders leave the sites alone: “This is free marketing for them, and they know it. It’s not really good marketing strategy to go suing your fans and the websites that they like to use.”
Braces For Just $60? The Future Of 3D Printing. A recent article in Business Insider featured a New Jersey Institute of Technology digital-design student who made himself plastic braces using only $60 of materials and a 3D printer. The student admitted that researching orthodontic procedures and plotting the movement of his teeth was not easy. However, the braces straightened his smile within four months and saved him thousands of dollars.