In the ever-evolving landscape of publishing, one thing remains certain: the internet is not a free-for-all. If only authors could grasp that concept before diving headfirst into the murky waters of copyright infringement! A recent high-profile case brought to light the harsh realities of intellectual property violations when Muhammad Ali’s photographer emerged victorious, winning a staggering $2.75 million in damages. This underscores a crucial point—some still believe they can pilfer content from online sources without consequences. But the cautionary tales don’t stop there. From self-plagiarism scandals involving political figures to tech giants embroiled in lawsuits for allegedly using copyrighted material to train AI, the message is clear. If you think you can get away with it, think again… the law has a long memory. Curious to dig deeper into the web of legal entanglements that writers and creators are navigating today? LEARN MORE.
Some authors still think they can use anything on the Internet for free.
Muhammad Ali’s Photographer Wins $2.75 Million in Copyright Lawsuit
“After a six-day trial, the jury found ABG liable on 23 counts of copyright infringement. The jury also found that the defendants committed willful infringement, exhibiting ‘knowledge of or reckless disregard of Gaffney’s copyrighted works.’”
Self-plagiarism…
Kamala Harris accused of plagiarizing in 2009 book about being ‘smart on crime’
“He found that ’24 fragments are plagiarism from other authors, [and] 3 fragments are self-plagiarism from a work written with a co-author.’”
Yes, plagiarism IS serious!
NYT plagiarism consultant admits Harris scandal ‘more serious’ than he thought
“‘To be clear, that is plagiarism. It’s compounded by the fact that Wikipedia is typically not seen as a reliable source, and, according to Weber, there was an error in the information,’ Bailey wrote.”
Hitler would be so proud…
Columbia University bars pro-Israel professor from campus for ‘threatening behavior’
“[T]he University has decided to not allow me to be on campus anymore. My job. Why? Because of Oct. 7. Because I was not afraid to stand up to the hateful mob…”
When you steal and share copyrighted material online, do you still have a right to anonymity?
Discord Disputes DMCA Subpoena, Rejects Role as ‘Anti-Piracy’ Partner
“Discord was clearly hesitant to cooperate but, faced with a motion to compel, it eventually chose to do so. However, the company did not envision that Nexon would return to court with similar requests a few months later.”
These companies KNOW what they’re doing is illegal but they do it anyway!
Meta hit with new author copyright lawsuit over AI training
“Farnsworth said in the lawsuit, opens new tab on Tuesday that Meta fed Llama, which powers its AI chatbots, thousands of pirated books to teach it how to respond to human prompts.”
Bungie is a videogame developer.
Sci-Fi Author Files Lawsuit Against Bungie
“The lawsuit alleges Bungie copied key elements from author’s story, including antagonist factions and character backstories.”
Gross!!! You might not want to read this article.
Mark Robinson Sues CNN, Former Porn Shop Employee for Defamation
“The $50 million lawsuit says allegations about the Republican gubernatorial candidate’s porn habits have ‘inflicted immeasurable harm.’”
