SEDUCTION AND PORK PIES

Google wins again

Google has won another US copyright case, Reuters reports. This time the target was its Usenet service. Gordon Roy Parker argued that Google had infringed his copyright in his online seduction guides, which included the classic 'Why Hotties Choose Losers' [why indeed? asks the IPKat] by enabling the republication of material contained in those guides through its Usenet service. Parker also aruged that his reputation was damaged by the publication of non-complimentary comments about him through the service. However, the judge found that Google enjoys projection under an exemption to the Communications Decency Act for online service providers acting as an automatic redistributor of published material.

Perhaps not the kind of hottie he had in mind...

The IPKat thinks this decision sounds right. If Google was forced to check the copyright status of everything that gets distributed through its service it would collapse under the weight of bureaucracy and the public would lose a number of valuable services.


Don't forget the pies

Don't forget, tomorrow (Monday 20 March) at 12.30pm, Dev Gangjee (LSE) is coming to Queen Mary IPRI to speak about geographical indicaitons and all things Melton Mowbray.

If you want to come along, email Ilanah.