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Elon Musk: "Overzealous DMCA Is a Plague On Humanity"
Ernesto Van der Sar, 13 May 10:43 AM

muskEarlier this week, Republican Senator Josh Hawley introduced a bill that aims to shorten the copyright term to a maximum 56 years.

The controversial proposal is a direct attack on Disney, which previously spoke out against the "Don't Say Gay" law in Florida.

The chances of this bill passing are rather slim. The Democrats currently have a majority in the Senate and it's unclear whether the proposal is broadly supported by Hawley's Republican colleagues. On top of that, a 56-year copyright term is at odds with the Berne Convention.

Many people believe that the proposal is mostly a political stunt, one that made headlines all over the world. A few hours ago it also reached the Twitter feed of Elon Musk, the richest person on earth, who doesn't shy away from controversy himself.

Musk's Copyright & DMCA Critique

Responding to a Slashdot headline, Musk backs the general idea of limiting the current protections, which can last up to 120 years after the creation of a work.

"Current copyright law in general goes absurdly far beyond protecting the original creator," Musk notes.

This type of critique on the copyright protection term isn't new and Musk is known for floating bold statements. That said, coming from someone of his stature, it's worth noting. The same is true for the follow-up tweet.

"Overzealous DMCA is a plague on humanity," Musk wrote in a follow-up.

elon dmca

The DMCA has nothing to do with the copyright term. Instead, it largely dictates how online services should respond to copyright takedown notices. Platforms that stick to these rules will get "safe harbor" protections that shield them from liability.

U.S. lawmakers are currently considering updating the DMCA, potentially making the rules more strict. This includes a proposal to make it mandatory for online services to implement standard technical protection measures.

It's not clear at all what Musk means by "overzealous" and how the DMCA is a "plague on humanity." However, Musk might believe that the current law is already leading to overbroad removals.

Twitter & the DMCA

Just how serious Musk is about these comments is unknown. That said, now that he considers taking over Twitter as a business, the DMCA is certainly very relevant for him. And with the power and influence he has, copyright holders could get a little concerned.

Through DMCA notices, rightsholders have asked Twitter to remove millions of tweets and files from its platform in recent years. The company has to comply with the law and Musk can't change that. However, he can rally against plans to make the DMCA more strict.

For now, this is all speculation and we don't even know whether Musk is serious about this critique. Just shortly after calling out the DMCA as a plague on humanity, he oved on to condemning paper straws.

Update: Musk's Twitter takeover plans are not "on hold".

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musk dmca

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Disney Seeks a Senior Paralegal to Help Combat Online Piracy
Ernesto Van der Sar, 12 May 11:02 PM

disneyDisney is one of the best-known brands in the world and the owner of an impressive collection of movies and TV shows.

New and old releases earn the company a healthy stream of revenue, both in movie theaters and through its own movie streaming service Disney+.

While there is plenty of competition from other movie studios, Disney's single biggest threat appears to be piracy. To tackle this issue, Disney's in-house anti-piracy team works around the clock, with fresh blood coming in on a regular basis.

Much of the anti-piracy work falls under the "Digital Media Antipiracy Group." This Disney department doesn't have a dedicated web presence, aside from this pdf, but we know that the headquarters are located at the studios in Burbank, California.

The broader public can get an occasional glimpse of the team by looking at Disney's job applications, where a new position just opened up.

Anti-Piracy Paralegal

The media giant wants to complement its team with a senior paralegal in the digital media anti-piracy field. This is a position with a stronger focus on the legal side, working in tandem with Disney's lawyers.

"This position will be part of a team that is responsible for providing antipiracy services with a focus on combating online piracy of film, television, and live events related to Disney properties worldwide," the job listing reads.

The candidate needs to have a few years of experience in a law firm or legal department. In addition, some tech-savviness will come in handy, as the job requires good insight into the ever-changing piracy landscape.

disney

The job description itself is quite broad. It involves writing reports, conducting piracy research, and evaluating third-party anti-piracy partners. On top of that, the candidate also has to "review" pirate sites.

"Duties of this position include researching piracy technologies, websites, and apps, tracking piracy data, providing regular reports on piracy trends, evaluating prospective providers of antipiracy services and managing existing providers," Disney writes.

Prospective candidates for this the paralegal position can reach out to Disney directly. And there are more anti-piracy job openings as well.

More 'Pirate' Jobs

Over in the UK, Disney is seeking to add an Antipiracy Analyst to the local branch of the Digital Media Antipiracy Group. This person will also research, document, and report on relevant piracy developments, all under the supervision of lawyers.

The ideal candidate for this role will have to "research and monitor piracy technologies, websites and apps to stay up to date on latest digital piracy methods and major happenings."

Finally, for those who are not fluent in legal matters but would still like a pirate-themed job, there's a job listing in Anaheim that may be of interest. For the Disneyland park, the company is looking for an electrician who can be called to repair circuits at the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

 
 
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