Guide Through the Legal Jungle

Free Artomatic Presentation, “Content Clearance for All Content Producers” on Thursday, June 7 at 7 p.m. in Arlington, VA.

Next Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., I will offer a presentation on content and rights clearance issues. The presentation is sponsored by the Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts (WALA) and is part of the month-long Artomatic arts festival currently taking place in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Presentation Description:

Have you ever wondered how and if you can incorporate other people’s materials into your own work? The material you want to use might be an image, quotation, song, real-life event, celebrity name, or other material protected by copyright or similar laws. These are rights clearance questions. In this interactive presentation, attorney and author Joy R. Butler will explain how to identify rights clearance problems and provide guidance on what you need to do before you incorporate other people's material into your artwork, websites, advertisements, books, films, and other creative work.

The Details:

• DATE: Thursday, June 7, 2012


• TIME: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. ET


• COST: Free


• LOCATION: 1851 S. Bell St., Arlington, Virginia (1 block from the Crystal City metro stop). For directions (driving, parking, metro, and bike), see http://artomatic.org/plan-your-visit

 

Thursday, February 10, 2011 Internet Law Presentation in Chevy Chase, MD

I will offer a presentation on internet law on Thursday, February 10, 2011 at Alfio's La Trattoria, 4515 Willard Ave, Chevy Chase, MD. The event is a 6:30 p.m. dinner meeting sponsored by the DC Chapter of the Association of Information Technology Professionals.

TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED.

During the presentation, I will address the dos and don’ts of internet use and provide answers to many of the legal questions asked by those who blog, podcast, operate a website, publish an email newsletter, or participate in social media such as:

• How do I protect my original content posted online?
• Do I need permission to post other people’s material?
• Can I depict or mention real people online?
• Can I be fired for my internet activities?
• At what point does my negative online review about a company or product cross the line from legal to not-so-legal?
• Am I safe if I post my negative review anonymously?
• What can I do about negative information posted online about me, my child or my business?
• Is it okay for me to post a review about a product on my blog if the manufacturer gave me a free copy of the product?
• Do websites know more about me than I think they know?
• How do websites get information about me if I don't give it to them?
• How can I protect my online privacy?

MORE DETAILS

The $25 event fee (payable by cash or check at the door) includes a three-course dinner and valet parking. You can find additional information at AITP website at www.aitp.org. If you do plan to attend, please RSVP via email to aitpdc-reply@aitpdc.org

ASU’s Inaugural Sports & Entertainment Law Conference and Journal

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of speaking at a Sports and Entertainment Law Conference hosted by Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in Tempe, Arizona. The conference, entitled A-Rod to Jay-Z: Sports and Entertainment Law in the 21st Century, was the launching point for the school’s new sports and entertainment law journal. The first edition of the journal is scheduled for an early 2011 publication date.

The ASU College of Law students organized and funded the conference. They did a fantastic job. The conference and journal are the students’ preliminary steps towards bringing an entertainment and sports law curriculum to the school.

In terms of “usable information”, it was one of the best entertainment conferences I’ve attended. Most of the 21 conference speakers are also writing articles on their respective topics for the ASU journal. That prior research and writing effort made their presentations very focused and substantive. My topic for the presentation and for the journal is Mixing Contests and Sweepstakes with Entertainment Programming. The full list of conference speakers and topics is available online.

Incidentally, it was my first trip to the Phoenix area. I was thrilled to have time to visit several local attractions including the Desert Botanical Gardens (pictured), Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, and the Tempe Marketplace.

Saturday, May 15, 2010 Free Internet Law Presentation in Washington, DC

I will offer a 90-minute presentation on internet law on Saturday, May 15 at 1:00 p.m. The Capital PC Users Group (CPCUG) sponsors the event which takes place at the Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.

During the presentation, I will address several issues frequently confronted by those who blog, podcast, operate a website, publish an email newsletter, or offer original content on a social networking site such as:

• How Do I Protect My Original Content Posted Online?
• How Do I Get a Copyright?
• How Do I Register the Copyright in My Online Work?
• What Can I Do If Someone Uses My Online Content?
• How Can I Protect My Domain Name?
• What Is a Trademark?
• How Do I Get a Trademark?
• What Can I Do if the Domain Name I Want Is Unavailable?
• Can I Be Fired for My Internet Activities?
• When Am I Responsible for Online Defamation?
• Do I Have to Post a Privacy Policy?
• Do I Need Permission to Use Other People’s Material?
• How Do I Determine Which Use Is a Fair Use?
• How Do I Identify Public Domain Material?
• How Long Does A Copyright Last?
• How Can I Use Music with My Website?
• What Should I Consider if My Website Mentions or Depicts Real People?

The event is free and open to the public. You can find additional details and the RSVP form at the CPCUG website.

Annotated Summary of Google Book Settlement Agreement

Annotated Summary

I have prepared a 10-page annotated summary of the proposed Google Book Settlement Agreement. The annotations are references to the relevant provisions in the Settlement Agreement. You can use the summary for an overview of the Settlement Agreement. Alternatively, you can use it as a guide for your own journey through the 300+ page actual Settlement Agreement. The annotated summary is available at www.joybutler.com/googlesummary.pdf

Accompanying Teleseminar

The annotated summary tracks my free teleseminar, What the Google Book Settlement Means for Authors and Publishers, offered on April 2, 2009. A recording of the teleseminar will be available for replay by phone until at least May 31, 2009. You can access the complimentary telephone replay by calling (641) 715-3900. When prompted for the extension, enter 47422 followed by the pound sign (#).

The 10-page Annotated Summary and Teleseminar Address the Following Issues:

• How did the Google book program and the lawsuit happen?
• Who falls under the terms of the Google Book Settlement?
• Why are May 5, 2009; June 5, 2010; and April 5, 2011 important dates for authors and publishers?
• What can Google do with your book if you remain in the Settlement?
• What are your rights to remove or exclude your book from the Google book database?
• What payments will Google make to authors and publishers?
• What happens if Google decides your book is not commercially available?
• How does the Google Book Settlement impact relationships between authors and publishers?
• What additional factors should authors and publishers consider when deciding how to respond to the Settlement?

Replay of Google Book Teleseminar Is Now Available

A replay of my complimentary teleseminar, What the Google Book Settlement Means for Authors and Publishers, is now available.

Replay Information
To access the complimentary telephone replay, call (641) 715-3900. When prompted for the extension, enter 47422 followed by the pound sign (#). (If this is a long-distance call for you, you will pay to your long-distance carrier the fee normally charged for long-distance calls.)

Written Outline
Please download the written outline of the teleseminar before logging onto the replay. You can find the written outline at www.joybutler.com/googleoutline.pdf

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
If you have questions or comments after listening to the teleseminar, please post them in the comments section below. Although I cannot render any specific legal advice through my blog, I will respond to requests for clarification on the information presented in the teleseminar.

Free Teleseminar on Google Book Settlement

If you missed the live teleseminar, a recording will be available until at least May 31, 2009. You may also be interested in my ten-page annotated summary of the Google Book Settlement Agreement.

I’m offering a free teleseminar on the Google Book Settlement on Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. ET. /12:00 p.m. PT. The full announcement is below. Register at http://www.joybutler.com/seminarinfo.htm

What the Google Book Settlement Means for Authors and Publishers

Who Should Attend? If you are the author or publisher of a book published on or prior to January 5, 2009, you are part of the Google Book Settlement and it can impact your rights in your books – whether you know it or not. If you do not want to be a part of the settlement, you must take action by May 5, 2009.

Background on Settlement: In 2004, Google began digitizing millions of books, including books still protected by copyright. Google displayed snippets – or several lines of text - of the digitized books in search results. In response to Google’s actions, the Authors Guild, the Association of American Publishers, and others from the publishing industry filed a class action lawsuit.

After several years of negotiations, the parties have agreed to a settlement. Under the settlement, Google will pay a monetary fee for the copyrighted books it has digitized. Google will be also able to expand its use of books beyond snippets to uses that include consumer sales, subscriptions to libraries and universities of an electronic books database, and sales of advertising on pages from books. Google will share with authors and publishers the revenue generated from these uses.

The Teleseminar: In this complimentary teleseminar, attorney Joy Butler helps authors and publishers understand the terms of the 300+ page proposed Google Book Settlement agreement. She will address the practical issues authors and publishers should consider when determining whether and to what extent to participate in the settlement:

• What happens if you don’t opt out of the settlement by May 5, 2009?
  
• What is the income potential for authors and publishers who participate in the settlement?
  
• What does it mean if Google classifies your book as commercially unavailable?
  
• How can Google use your book if you remain in the settlement?

About the Speaker: Joy R. Butler is an attorney practicing entertainment, intellectual property, and business law. She is also the author of The Permission Seeker’s Guide Through the Legal Jungle: Clearing Copyrights, Trademarks and Other Rights for Entertainment and Media Productions.

Registration: The live teleseminar occurs on Thursday, April 2, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. ET/ 12:00 p.m. PT. Register at www.joybutler.com/seminarinfo.htm

Avoiding Defamation Claims – Explained in 60 Seconds

Podcaster George Smyth invited me once again to take the One Minute How-To challenge.  George challenges his guests to explain anything the guest chooses as long as the explanation takes only 60 seconds.

 

In my last guest interview with George, I explained “How to Determine if Creative Material Is Public Domain or Copyright Protected”  In this visit, I explained “How to Avoid Defaming Anyone in Your Writing”

Seminar on Blogging Basics in Washington, DC on February 11

This Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 6:30 p.m., I will join a panel discussion on Blogging Basics. The program is sponsored by the DC Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association and will take place at the Charles Sumner School, 1201 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC. The program is free for WNBA members and $10 for non-members. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to wnbaeventsdc [at] gmail.com.

 

During the panel, I will address bloggers’ top legal questions including how to protect your blog content, when you can post material from other sources, and how to avoid potential risks of blogging (such as defamation and conflict with your employment).  Other panelists will address how to promote your blog and how fiction writers can best use blogging. 

 

You can find additional details about the blogging basics workshop at the website of the Women’s National Book Association.   

Seminar on Copyright Law for Writers in Washington, DC on Thursday, April 24

Next Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 6:30 p.m., I will offer a seminar on copyright issues for writers. The program is sponsored by the DC Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association and will take place at the Charles Sumner School, 1201 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC.  The program is free for WNBA members and $10 for non-members. If you plan to attend, your RSVP is requested by April 21 to ncweil at patriot dot net.

During the presentation, I will address copyright and other legal topics of interest to book authors, freelancers, bloggers, and screenwriters including:

• How to maximize and enforce the copyright protection in your online and offline work.
• What are your options if someone infringes your work.
• Why writers should care about trademarks.
• What is a work-made-for hire contract and when is it worthwhile for a writer to accept one.
• How to determine when you need permission to depict real life events and people in your writing.
• When and how writers can quote from songs, movies, books, and poems.
• How to work successfully with collaborators while side-stepping the legal landmines of collaboration.

You can find additional details about the copyright for writers program at the website of Women’s National Book Association.