Friday in San Jose CA: hearing to punish Universal for sending copyright threats to dancing toddler

If you're in Silicon Valley this week and want to have some legal-type fun, you could drop in on the Lenz v. Universal hearing (dress nice, behave yourself!) in which EFF will be arguing that Universal should be punished for sending a bogus copyright threat to a mom who posted a 29-second youtube of her adorable toddler dancing to Prince's "Let's Go Crazy."

EFF represents Stephanie Lenz, who uploaded a 29-second clip of her son dancing in the family kitchen to the Prince song, "Let's Go Crazy," which is playing on a stereo in the background. Remarkably, Universal Music Publishing Group claimed that the video infringed its copyrights, and had the video yanked from YouTube. Lenz's lawsuit against Universal seeks to hold the company accountable for misrepresenting that her fair use violated its copyrights.

Link (via Recording Industry Vs. the People)

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uselessinventions

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Jeff

How does Universal claim injury? Can it claim that any and all use is prohibited without the sole consent of the owner? Or that a licensing fee would need to be paid? I would suspect that the court will require Universal to tell it how the use of Princeâ€™s music in anyway caused them a loss of income, now or in the future. No one profited from the Youtube production. This is a test case. Copyright law, as Cory knows, is evolving.
Foolster41

Good for the EFF! Universal needs to be made an example of so companies will think twice of their random throwing tactics of extorting money from people.
GonzoMultiverse

Unfortunately, dipshit-assholism is quite widespread. “Let’s Go Crazy” indeed.
Mark Oshiro

Be careful. Prince might sue her next!
Charles Cooper

the RIAA
bearers of a better world
children must be stopped
mikelotus

I hope Universal under goes a real beat down.