copyright

National

Monkey Can't Own Copyright To His Selfie, Federal Judge Says

11:49am January 07, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

A district judge in San Francisco said that Congress and the president can choose to "extend the protection of law to animals as well as humans" — but that for now, no, monkeys can't own copyrights.

Anne Frank's facsimile diaries, on display during a 2009 press conference at the Anne Frank museum in Amsterdam.

'Mein Kampf' Enters Public Domain; Arguably, Anne Frank's Diary May, Too

7:48pm December 31, 2015

by Colin Dwyer

European rights to the two stark Holocaust artifacts may both expire on Friday. Reprints of Hitler's manifesto have been received warily; the legal case around Frank's diary is significantly murkier.

Musician David Lowery of Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker says Spotify streamed his songs without his permission.

Music & Culture

Spotify Faces Class Action For Copyright Infringement

8:35pm December 29, 2015

The lawsuit alleges that the streaming music service fails to properly compensate artists for the right to reproduce or distribute recordings. It's the latest in the ongoing debate over streaming.

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Heath Miller of the Pittsburgh Steelers makes a reception at the 1-yard line while defended by Brandon Flowers of the San Diego Chargers at Monday's game in San Diego, Calif.

Twitter's Suspension Of Sports Media Revives Debate Over Fair Use

9:26am October 14, 2015

Twitter is going after news media that share highlights of U.S. football games without sports organizations' permission. The move shines a spotlight on the notion of fair use of copyrighted content.

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National

'Dancing Baby' Wins Copyright Case

7:41pm September 14, 2015

by Laura Wagner

In Lenz v. Universal, about a YouTube video of a baby dancing to a Prince song, judges ruled that copyright holders must weigh whether use of material is fair use before issuing a warning.

Everyone knows how to sing "Happy Birthday to You." But performing the song in movies or on TV requires payment of sometimes hefty licensing fees. Now the song is at the heart of a lawsuit.

'Happy Birthday' Hits Sour Notes When It Comes To Song's Free Use

2:53pm September 06, 2015

by NPR Staff

"Happy Birthday to You" is sung everywhere, but because it's copyrighted, it's rarely heard on TV or in movies. A filmmaker has filed a lawsuit seeking to make the song part of the public domain.

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Farmer Dave Alford can't fix his own tractors like this one because it's run by software with proprietary digital locks.

National

DIY Tractor Repair Runs Afoul Of Copyright Law

8:08pm August 25, 2015

by Laura Sydell

Like a lot of machines, tractors are increasingly run by computer software that has proprietary locks. But if farmers break those locks to fix their John Deere, they are also breaking the law.

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Air Jordan VIIs like these were originally released in 1992. In the years since, they've inspired retro releases from Nike — and unsanctioned imitators, like this pair of Qiaodan Sports' women's basketball shoes.

Sports

The Trademark Woes Of Michael Jordan (And Many Others) In China

12:09pm August 19, 2015

by Becky Sullivan

The NBA superstar's brand is one of many mired in copyright trouble in China. An unrelated shoe company with an Air Jordan-esque name and logo is making millions — and under Chinese law, it's legal.

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World News

Do You Want To Build A Lawsuit? China Totally Copied 'Frozen,' Kid Says

8:35am August 05, 2015

by David Greene

A new anthem produced for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics is being attacked online as too similar to "Let It Go" from the film "Frozen." We asked a 5-year-old girl to assess the merits of the case.

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Twitter Takes Down Unoriginal Jokes, But All Of Yours Are Probably Safe

3:06pm July 28, 2015

by Laura Sydell

A freelance writer got the company to take down several unauthorized uses of her humor by what she says are robot accounts, but legal scholars say proving copyright on jokes is difficult.