Jul 29 - Sundance announces streaming deals with Apple’s iTunes, Amazon, YouTube
Industry Spotlight
Amazon adds Universal Pictures movies, takes aim at Netflix
July 28, 2011 – Los Angeles Times
Sundance Announces Streaming Deals With Apple’s iTunes, Amazon And YouTube
July 27, 2011 – Huffington Post
Adele, Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown set to perform at 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
July 28, 2011 – Entertainment Weekly
How to Edit Your Google+ Account Settings
July 28, 2011 – Business Insider
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Kinect Star Wars Bundle in top 10 at Best Buy
July 28, 2011 - PunchJump
Politics & Policy
I. Intellectual Property Enforcement
Big Content's latest antipiracy weapon: extradition
Authored by Timothy B. Lee on July 21, 2011 – Ars Technica
As major American copyright holders continue their long war on file-sharing, the focus of the debate has increasingly shifted overseas. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has begun seizing the domain names of so-called rogue sites based overseas. And copyright interests are pushing for the passage of the PROTECT IP Act, which would draft various intermediaries, including DNS providers, into the fight against such sites.
In May, American law enforcement officials opened up yet another front in this war by seeking the extradition of Richard O'Dwyer. The 23-year-old British college student is currently working on his BS in interactive media and animation. Until last year, he ran a "link site" that helped users find free movies and TV shows, many of them infringing. American officials want to try him on charges of criminal copyright infringement and conspiracy.
The extradition request is remarkable; O'Dwyer has no obvious connection to the United States. He hasn't set foot there since he was a small child, his servers were not located there, and it's not clear he has broken UK law. With his family's support, O'Dwyer is fighting extradition and seeking a trial in the United Kingdom instead.
Hollywood studios win UK case to block pirate site
Published on July 28, 2011 - The Sacramento Bee
Hollywood film studios have won a court case in Britain blocking access to a website accused of flagrant infringement of copyright.
Justice Richard Arnold announced Thursday that he would issue an order which would compel BT PLC, the country's largest Internet service provider, to block access to the Newzbin2 website. The precise wording of the order will be subject to a further hearing in October.
The order was sought by six studios including Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures Corporation and Disney Enterprises. They were supported by recorded music, video gaming and publishing organizations.
II. Protect IP Act (S. 968)
Supporters of Pro IP bill say rogue sites can kill
Authored by Greg Sandoval on July 21, 2011 - CNET
Supporters of a bill designed to block access to Web sites trafficking in counterfeit or pirated merchandise are pulling out the stops in their public relations campaign.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce began circulating a testimonial from a woman who says her friend died as a result of taking prescription medicine she bought over the Internet (you can watch her video above).
Glenda Billerbeck, a resident of Rhinebeck, Iowa, says Marcia Mooty Bergeron died in 2006, a day after Billerbeck concluded a visit to Bergeron's home in Canada. According to the statement from Billerbeck, her friend relied on the Internet for much of her shopping. Shortly before Billerbeck departed, Bergeron was complaining of flu symptoms.
III. Network Neutrality
Senate GOP seeks cost-benefit analysis of net neutrality
Authored by Gautham Nagesh on July 27, 2011 - The Hill
Republican senators wrote to the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday requesting a cost-benefit analysis of the agency's net-neutrality rules, arguing such a review would be in the spirit of the president's push to reduce burdensome regulations.
The senators, led by Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.), cited President Obama's July memorandum instructing the independent agencies to join executive agencies in eliminating outdated or burdensome regulations. They suggested the FCC's vote on net neutrality might have turned out differently if the memo had come out earlier.
The letter was signed by Heller and Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Jim DeMint (S.C.), Roy Blunt (Mo.), Pat Toomey (Pa.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Roger Wicker (Miss.), John Thune (S.D.), Johnny Isakson (Ga.) and John Boozman (Ark.).