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Copyright Law and New Technologies: A Long and Complex Relationship

Posted by: George Thuronyi

The following is a guest post by Brad Greenberg, counsel in the U.S. Copyright Office, Office of Policy and International Affairs. Copyright law and new technologies have a long history, arguably dating back to the Gutenberg Press in the 15th century—more than 200 years before passage of the matriarch of copyright statutes, Britain’s Statute of …

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I Will Survive

Posted by: George Thuronyi

As a teenager during the 1970s, I put on my bell-bottom pants and shiny shirt to groove to the latest disco hits. I was not alone. Disco culture was highly popular and spawned a vast array of music, dance, and fashion. The records of the U.S. Copyright Office show many thousands of registrations for the …

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Happy World IP Day

Posted by: Karyn A. Temple

Today is World IP Day, and as Acting Register of Copyrights, I had the honor and pleasure of hosting a program featuring remarks and a panel discussion focusing on the impact of creative works and performances on the lives of both creators and the public. Here are my remarks from today’s event. We are pleased …

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U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies Separability Analysis in its Ruling on Star Athletica, LLC v. Varsity Brands, Inc.

Posted by: George Thuronyi

The following is a guest post by Rachel E. Fertig, a 2015–2017 Barbara A. Ringer Copyright Honors Fellow, serving as an attorney-advisor in the Office of General Counsel and Office of Policy & International Affairs. The Supreme Court’s March 22 opinion in Star Athletica, LLC v. Varsity Brands, Inc. answered a question that has perplexed …

Copyright Office Launches Updated Website

Posted by: Alison Hall

  On March 1, the Copyright Office launched its updated website, www.copyright.gov. The goal of the update was to make the site more user-focused. In order to do so, we surveyed users of the old website, reviewed questions the Public Information Office received, and talked to industry experts. The most common requests were for a …