Copyright

Music Giants Triumph as Appeals Court Upholds Copyright Verdict Against ISP, Orders New Damages Trial

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AUSTIN, Texas — In a significant legal showdown, a Texas federal jury ruled against the internet service provider Grande Communications in late 2022, ordering it to pay $47 million in damages for what was found to be willful contributory copyright infringement. This marked a considerable victory for major music companies including Warner Bros. and Sony Music, who argued that Grande failed to adequately address piracy among its users. The music companies had accused Grande Communications, which is under the ownership of Astound, of not taking necessary actions to disconnect repeat copyright offenders using its service, … Read more

Judge Rules Against Trump in Copyright Infringement Case Over Unauthorized Use of Eddy Grant’s ‘Electric Avenue’

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NEW YORK — In a recent legal decision, former President Donald Trump was found to have violated copyrights by using the song “Electric Avenue” by Eddy Grant in a 2020 campaign video without the artist’s permission. The ruling, delivered by Federal Judge John G. Koeltl, dismissed Trump’s claim that his use of the song fell under the fair use provisions, marking a significant setback for Trump amid ongoing copyright disputes with various artists. Eddy Grant initiated legal action against Trump after the latter utilized the 1982 hit to underscore a social media campaign video that … Read more