The hottest Copyright Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Generative AI’s Continuing Copyright Problems, an Essay in Memory of Suchir Balaji, 1998 - 2024

Marcus on AI • 7035 implied HN points • 14 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Copyright Ethics Legal issues Innovation
  1. Generative AI is raising big questions about copyright. Many people are unsure if the way it uses data counts as fair use under copyright laws.
  2. There have been cases where outputs from AI models were very similar to copyrighted material. This has led to lawsuits, showing that the issue isn't going away.
  3. Speaking out against big tech companies can be risky. There needs to be more protection for those who voice concerns about copyright and other serious issues.

Thomson Reuters wins early AI copyright case

The PhilaVerse • 123 implied HN points • 12 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Copyright Legal Innovation Intellectual Property
  1. Thomson Reuters won a significant court case against Ross Intelligence for copyright infringement. They claimed Ross used their legal content without permission for AI training.
  2. The judge ruled against Ross, stating that their use of the content competed with Thomson Reuters and damaged their market value. This decision sets a strong precedent for future AI copyright cases.
  3. Legal experts warn that this ruling could make it harder for AI companies to argue fair use when using copyrighted material. It highlights ongoing concerns about how AI interacts with existing copyright laws.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

That Little Question of Humanity…

Technically Optimistic • 59 implied HN points • 24 May 24
🕹 Technology AI Copyright Privacy Data Artificial Intelligence
  1. Celebrities like Scarlett Johansson are facing challenges with AI replicating their voices and likenesses without consent, raising important questions about ownership and rights.
  2. Actors like Clark Gregg are advocating for the protection of their biometric data, pushing for the rights to own and control their scans, and be compensated for their use.
  3. The intersection of technology and personal identity is a complex issue that prompts reflection on what it means to be human in a world where even famous personalities are at risk of having their identities manipulated.

Thoughts About a Mouse

Cybernetic Forests • 199 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Copyright Generative AI Digital Infrastructure
  1. The concept of copyright, especially related to AI and generative technology, is facing significant challenges and debates as seen in the case of Mickey Mouse entering the public domain.
  2. The extension of copyright laws, influenced by powerful entities like Big Tech and Disney, has complicated the landscape of creative ownership, legal protection, and digital expression.
  3. There is a growing need for proactive data rights, decentralized digital infrastructure, and a reevaluation of the role of copyright in shaping the future of technology and community interactions.

Data Laundering: How Stability AI managed to get millions of copyrighted art works without paying artists [Finance Fridays]

Technology Made Simple • 219 implied HN points • 12 Aug 23
🕹 Technology AI Copyright Tech industry Data Privacy Artificial Intelligence
  1. Data laundering involves converting stolen data to be used illegally or sold as legitimate data.
  2. Tech companies, like Stability AI, can get around artist copyright by using creative methods with AI art.
  3. It's essential to ensure fair compensation for artists and creators whose work is used, and to establish better regulations for copyright protection in data usage.

My non-prediction for generative AI in 2024

ailogblog • 119 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Ethics Copyright Technology Adoption
  1. The energy consumption of generative AI for tasks like image generation and question answering can be significant.
  2. The use of generative AI may impact freelance job opportunities for illustrators and writers.
  3. There is uncertainty about the future of generative AI, with questions about its social costs, technological advancements, and ethical considerations.

Intertextuality

Gradient Ascendant • 15 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Art Technology Copyright Society
  1. The legal issues around AI and reading published work are complex. While people can read anything published, there's ongoing debate about whether AI should be allowed to learn from those works.
  2. Many artists feel that AI trained on their work could be considered stealing, but it hasn't been legally restricted before. Trying to change the rules now might not be fair or practical.
  3. A new way to share revenue from AI outputs with creators might be good, but it would need new laws to make it happen. Limiting access to information in new ways could harm society as a whole.

The koan of an open-source LLM

Democratizing Automation • 142 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Copyright Regulation Models
  1. The definition and principles of open-source software, such as the lack of usage-based restrictions, have evolved over time to adapt to modern technologies like AI.
  2. There is a need for clarity in identifying different types of open language models, such as distinguishing between models with open training data and those with limited information available.
  3. Open ML faces challenges related to transparency, safety concerns, and complexities around licensing and copyright, but narratives about the benefits of openness are crucial for political momentum and support.

Record Labels Panic as A.I. Generated Song Becomes Hit Single

DARK FUTURA • 120 HN points • 20 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Copyright Music Industry Legal issues Ethics
  1. Record labels are panicking over an AI-generated hit single that sounds like famous artists.
  2. The use of AI to replicate voices of famous personalities is raising legal and ethical concerns.
  3. Generative AI advancements are changing industries, from music to content creation, leading to concerns about job displacement and ethical boundaries.

OpenAI’s “Own Goal”

Marcus on AI • 98 HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Copyright Racism Innovation
  1. OpenAI's mission of being open-source and collaborative has shifted over the years, leading to concerns about transparency and integrity.
  2. Email communications between OpenAI and Elon Musk raised doubts about the organization's commitment to its stated mission of open-sourcing technology.
  3. Recent incidents of covert racism, copyright infringements, and violent content generated by OpenAI's technology have raised questions about the ethical impact of their work.

Yes, we took your stuff and are making a killing. Why aren't you happy when we offer you scraps?

Alex's Personal Blog • 131 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Copyright Innovation Capitalism
  1. OpenAI is incorporating internet content, including from the New York Times, into its AI models
  2. OpenAI is making deals with publishers to mitigate legal risks and continue using content
  3. The New York Times initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI for using its material without compensation, highlighting the importance of fair compensation in technology innovation

Got to Give It Up

Dada Drummer Almanach • 202 implied HN points • 16 May 23
🎶 Music Copyright Songwriting Plagiarism Artists Popularity
  1. Copyright lawsuits in the music industry can have varying outcomes, like with the cases of Marvin Gaye's songs and recent hits.
  2. Ed Sheeran's legal victory in a copyright case highlighted the debate over common elements in music.
  3. Sheeran's argument about pop songs being similar, written quickly, and prone to plagiarism raised questions about the future of AI-generated music and copyright laws.

New decisions in a cloudy world

do clouds feel vertigo? • 99 implied HN points • 08 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Digital Media Copyright Society Information
  1. AI is creating new divisions in society, leading to more debates about our future and survival. It's making conversations about technology very heated and complex.
  2. Deepfakes and manipulated images are changing how we perceive reality. We can no longer trust everything we see, which can have big implications for privacy and reputation.
  3. In a world full of uncertainty, having a clear mind and being skeptical about information is essential. Embracing ambiguity instead of fearing it can help us navigate changes better.

The vanity and banality of the Author Online

The Leftovers • 139 implied HN points • 05 May 22
📚 Literature Authors Social media Copyright Professionalism
  1. The Author Online often struggles with balancing professionalism and personal reification in the digital space, leading to incoherences in their demands for recognition and payment.
  2. Social media can intensify the need for constant self-promotion and oversharing among Authors Online, blurring the line between personal authenticity and commodification.
  3. Some Authors Online are more focused on protecting their income and copyright rather than advocating for broader benefits like Universal Basic Income, which could support a wider range of writers.

Disney Loves (and Hates) Public Domain

SatPost by Trung Phan • 53 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
💼 Business Copyright Entertainment Laws Digital Creativity
  1. Disney lost copyright on the 1928 'Steamboat Willie' version of Mickey Mouse, showing their contradictory relationship with public domain.
  2. Disney is a major user of public domain content but also supports copyright extension laws to protect their own works.
  3. The tension between copyright and creativity lies in finding the right balance for how long protections for works should last.

Copyright isn't your friend

The Leftovers • 59 implied HN points • 09 Nov 22
🎭️ Culture Books Literature Copyright Authors Piracy
  1. Copyright laws can hinder access to culture for those who cannot afford books, and book piracy can actually create more readers.
  2. Making a living solely off writing books is tough for most authors, who often rely on other activities like teaching or editing to sustain themselves.
  3. The publishing industry heavily relies on copyright laws, but the quality of literature may not necessarily suffer if there were fewer books published.

Is Big Tech using Data Laundering to cheat artists?[Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 21 Nov 22
🕹 Technology Art AI Data Copyright Ethics
  1. Data Laundering involves converting stolen data to make it seem legitimate for different uses.
  2. Big Tech companies use non-profits to create datasets/models for research, then monetize them into APIs without compensating artists.
  3. There is a double standard between how Tech companies treat music and visual art, with considerations about replicating music, copyright standards, and the ethical aspects of compensation.

Generative AI is the final nail in intellectual property's coffin

Cosmic Column • 71 implied HN points • 07 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Intellectual Property Content creation Copyright
  1. Intellectual property is hard to protect and control, making ownership challenging.
  2. Generative AI is making it easier to mass produce ripoffs, threatening traditional intellectual property control.
  3. The rise of generative AI may devalue creativity and challenge the long-term viability of intellectual property as we know it.

The Ball’s in Your Court

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 11 Aug 23
🕹 Technology AI Data Chips Copyright Big Tech
  1. Big Tech companies are finding clever ways to use internet data for their AI projects, even with new copyright laws in place.
  2. Semiconductor companies are developing chips specifically for the Chinese market that almost meet US rules, showing a creative approach to regulations.
  3. Generative AI tools like GoogleBot and GPTBot are accessing online content unless website owners clearly say no, which raises questions about data usage.

Fight to Repair Daily: Friday, October 7 2022

Fight to Repair • 19 implied HN points • 07 Oct 22
🕹 Technology Repairability Copyright Consumer Rights Environmental Impact Regulations
  1. The iPhone 14 Plus is as repairable as the basic iPhone 14, following a more sustainable design approach.
  2. Canada is considering reforming digital lock rules to allow repair exceptions, benefitting consumers, farmers, and innovation.
  3. Academics are urging consumers to repair clothing to reduce environmental impact caused by the fast fashion cycle.

The economic birth of style

On Looking • 39 implied HN points • 09 Apr 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Style Market Economy Copyright Authorship
  1. Discourses of style and copyright emerged around the same time, intertwining romantic ideas of creativity with economic and legal rights for authors.
  2. Style interacts with the market through constraints like deadlines and budgets, impacting the types of illustrations that are in demand.
  3. Understanding the economic aspects of style can empower artists in a commercial world, providing agency and prompting critical reflection on their practice.

Fight to Repair Daily: Monday, September 12, 2022

Fight to Repair • 19 implied HN points • 13 Sep 22
🕹 Technology Repairs Copyright E-commerce Electronics Fashion
  1. The DMCA Section 1201 is facing a trial for potentially violating the 1st Amendment, as it imposes restrictions on free speech regarding digital locks and copyrighted work.
  2. iFixit outlined six key factors that influence the repairability of products, such as ease of access to batteries and overall repairability, which can impact whether a product is repairable or not.
  3. Steam Deck repair centers are now open for users to send in their devices for covered warranty repairs at no additional cost, following provided instructions and diagnostics.

An Immodest Proposal to OpenAI and the NYT

Gradient Ascendant • 11 implied HN points • 29 Dec 23
🕹 Technology AI Copyright AI Ethics
  1. The proposal suggests creating a system similar to ASCAP for generative AI to manage and compensate for derivative works.
  2. The system would involve licensing derivative works and tracking them to ensure compliance.
  3. An open-source AI model could be used to determine if something is a derivative work, while allowing for human oversight and appeals.

Harmonizing Creation and Compensation: The Future of Open Source AI in a Copyrighted World

For your consideration • 1 HN point • 13 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Copyright Open Source Data Management Innovation
  1. Open Source AI models need a way to remain competitive while respecting copyrighted training data and compensating content creators.
  2. A performance-based royalty approach for AI models could help bypass training payment disputes, align royalties with actual use, and ensure stable costs for publishers.
  3. Collaborative solutions that integrate Open Source adaptability with fair compensation systems inspired by the music industry can pave the way for a sustainable ecosystem where Open Source AI can thrive alongside copyrighted content.