tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513524515428334509.post7754603911437126658..comments2024-03-26T10:41:35.852+00:00Comments on The 1709 Blog: Mega Row over MegaVideoMarie-Andree Weisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125973798789498436noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513524515428334509.post-66134252516141833052011-12-21T09:44:54.156+00:002011-12-21T09:44:54.156+00:00I have found a copy of Will.i.am's 'contra...I have found a copy of Will.i.am's 'contract' and its here http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2011/111216william<br /><br />YouTube have now said they have ": "Our partners do not have the right to take down videos from YouTube unless they own the rights to them or they are live performances controlled through exclusive agreements with their artists, which is why we reinstated [the 'Mega Song']".Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01868498334405853494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513524515428334509.post-32264310444572103452011-12-17T17:48:45.534+00:002011-12-17T17:48:45.534+00:00Wired.com a few days ago posted a copy of what Meg...Wired.com a few days ago posted a copy of what Megaupload claims is its contract with the 'singer' Will.i.am. (For some reason I can't paste a link here.) It is a bizarre document, and I can only assume that Will.i.am was either very drunk at the time, or had received a very large payment from Megaupload. Amusingly, Megaupload claim to have exclusive copyright over Will.i.am's contribution to their video, on the basis of this contract. But presumably this would not prevail over any valid pre-existing contract in which Will.i.am assigns copyright over relevant material (i.e. musical recordings) to a record company.<br />Will.i.am cannot grant to Megaupload what he has already granted to others.Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513524515428334509.post-84428523201914040692011-12-17T09:57:57.997+00:002011-12-17T09:57:57.997+00:00There's a bit more background on the 'agre...There's a bit more background on the 'agreement' between UMG and YouTube here on <a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111216/01463417102/explanation-why-umg-may-be-right-that-it-can-pull-down-megauploads-video.shtml" rel="nofollow">TechDirt</a>.<br />It's a pity this won't be a case over the improper use of DMCA takedown notices, because to my knowledge, that's an area of law which had had little testing in the US courts, despite the fact that this kind of abuse has been alleged before especially over the activities of several Hollywood studios.Andy Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513524515428334509.post-21668740795157195802011-12-17T09:45:56.537+00:002011-12-17T09:45:56.537+00:00More on UMG's contractual right to remove mate...More on UMG's contractual right to remove material from YouTube can be found in the Hollywood Reporter here: <br />http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/megaupload-viral-music-video-youtube-274659Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513524515428334509.post-27220184820073242452011-12-16T21:29:50.931+00:002011-12-16T21:29:50.931+00:00Great post! Somehow I'm not surprised that Uni...Great post! Somehow I'm not surprised that Universal and the other labels have an informal shortcut to filing a DMCA notice (i.e., picking up the phone and complaining). That's one way to circumvent the counter-notice requirements. No investigation, no critical thought, just YouTube going "Oh we better watch out or we'll get sued -- again -- just like Grooveshark."Robert Scott Lawrencehttp://www.whoisyourlawyer.comnoreply@blogger.com