3 Count: Teaming Up

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1: Filmmakers Sue AT&T to Block Pirate Sites & Disconnect Repeat Infringers

First off today, Ernesto Van der Sar at Torrentfrak writes that a group of independent filmmakers have filed a lawsuit against the internet service provider AT&T seeking a wide array of demands including damages, the banning of repeat infringers and the blocking of pirate websites.

The lawsuit was filed by Voltage Pictures, which holds the rights to films such as After We Collided and Dallas Buyers Club. The lawsuit accuses AT&T of contributory copyright infringement for its failure to act against piracy on its network. In particular, they allege that they have sent over a thousand notices against a single IP address on the AT&T network without a single response.

In addition to seeking damages, Voltage Pictures wants AT&T to terminate repeat infringers, block access to certain pirate sites and take other action to reduce piracy. The lawsuit follows a similar pattern to cases against other ISPs, most notably Cox Communications.

2: Taiwanese Ultramarathon Runner Indicted in Copyright Troll Case

Next up today, Central News Agency reports that, in Taiwan, prosecutors have indicted ultramarathon runner Kevin Lin over allegations he was involved in a “copyright trolling” operation that has filed some 937 lawsuits since August of 2022.

According to the reports, Lin set up a company that acquired the rights to 18 movies and then began to “tempt” users into downloading those films illegally. It then began to target alleged downloaders of those films, seeking to obtain quick but lucrative settlements from the alleged infringers.

The prosecutors have requested that both Lin and a lawyer involved in the practice receive a lengthy sentence, noting that the lawsuits overwhelmed the Intellectual Property Office and other government institutions

3: MPLC Joins the Copyright Society

Finally today, a press release by the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (MLPC) writes that they have joined with the Copyright Society, one of the largest and oldest organizations devoted to copyright awareness and education.

The MLPC has been around since 1986 and handles licensing for more than 1,000 producers. They specialize in licensing films for display or performance in public spaces through their Umbrella License program. The Copyright Society, for its part, has been around since 1953 and is largely an educational organization that seeks to raise awareness about copyright law.

Both organizations have taken a more educational approach to dealing with infringement, but this represents the first time that the MLPC has been a full member of the Copyright Society, where it is joining at the Patron level.

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