Copyright Enforcement Group LLC
Copyright Enforcement Group – How can film producers deal with copyright infringement online?
Film production is a matter of huge monetary investment and risk. After making such a huge investment, the last thing that producers and directors want is to lose a large portion of revenue due to copyright infringement online. However, malpractices like trading movies over Peer to Peer Networks, downloading films from unauthorized sites, copying and misusing clippings without any compensation to the owner and others are very much thriving in recent times. Although most producers and directors want to take steps against copyright infringement, the biggest dilemma for them is to track down infringements and finding a reliable method for enforcement and protection.
Subscribing to protection and monetization services from intellectual property protection firms is one of the most sensible ways to deal with such a situation. The Copyright Enforcement Group is a good example of such a firm that works with film producers and directors to protect their intellectual assets from online copyright infringements. Copyright Enforcement Group’s out-of-the-box monitoring and protections services include User Generate Websites, Websites, and P2P Networks.
This acclaimed intellectual property protection firm utilizes web crawlers and the latest recognition technologies to constantly monitor infringements across websites and multiple peer-to-peer protocols. Thus, whenever an infringement occurs, the automated system collects evidence and humans authenticate it. CEG’s worldwide infrastructure makes it nearly impossible for an infringement to go unnoticed when a film producer or director work is under the cover of CEG’s monitoring services.
Another benefit with the Copyright Enforcement Group is that it can help copyright owners considerably in settling claims with infringers. It, along with its settlement portal CopyrightSettlements.com, offers infringers easy pre-settlement terms. As per those terms, infringers can pay a small one-time fee to get unconditional release from all liabilities. Moreover, the Copyright Enforcement Group also helps infringers to protect their privacy and to avoid huge expense of litigation. Thus, in most cases, infringers pay a compensation fee and settle the issue with producers and directors under reasonable terms. Needless to say; this is also a great way for producers to recover revenues that would have been otherwise lost due to copyright infringements.
CEG TEK – Grammys Lead to Increased Piracy
The 55th annual Grammy Awards were held this month in downtown Los Angeles, and the show continues to be one of the most important and influential industry awards out there. The music awards, which are handed out in dozens of categories, have an enormous impact on record sales and media attention towards certain artists. New acts are often featured alongside industry legends, introducing both types of acts to a new audience that may be largely unfamiliar. Even a single Grammy nomination can be an enormous boon and have a lasting impact on that artist’s career for years to come. Nowhere is this ‘Grammy boost’ more apparent than the world of online file exchanges, which have record traffic immediately following these types of awards.
Unfortunately not all of these exchanges are legal; torrent websites and file sharing account for a huge cut in an artist’s potential income, with certain popular titles being download thousands, or even millions of times without a cent going to the registered trademark holders. Adele’s ’21′ is one of the most popular albums of the past decade, but it is estimated that millions of copies went unsold due to the title’s ubiquitous presence on popular file-sharing sites like The Pirate Bay. History has proven that few record labels are able to tackle the challenge of registered trademark and copyright protection properly. Overnight unknown bands become household names through a Grammy performance, and in many cases those content owners are completely unprepared for the hype and interest generated. This makes it even more imperative that specialists are looked at for the protection of this content.
Copyright Enforcement Group (CEG-TEK INTL.) is one business offering protection against the infringement of registered trademarks and copyrights online. Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) several years ago, making the tracking of file exchanges online legal, and once those exchanges are registered and logged it becomes possible for CEG to generate solutions. Their automated software can track these exchanges, generating important business intelligence for content owners about who might be sharing their product. CEG TEK has become a formidable and reputable brand. For the first time in a decade the music industry has tools available to them to properly protect their investments. The monetization of copyright infringements (which includes takedown notices) is finally possible, which should ultimately help combat this problem in a meaningful way for the first time.
Awards are a celebration of craft, with skilled recording artists, engineers, publicists, and countless others working behind the scenes to produce a hit. Piracy poses a huge problem for those who hold the rights to audio, video, images, logos and data because it has become enormously simple to share those files online in recent years. Few industries have changed more radically by new technology than music, which has been unable to find a worthwhile method to the recovery of lost income due to copyright infringement. In order to keep the record industry’s infrastructure intact it is increasingly necessary to work with copyright enforcement businesses such as CEG.
CEG – House of Cards,’ Piracy, and Netflix
This past week has seen the premiere of the first season of ‘House of Cards,’ an American remake of the popular British political drama made exclusively for Netflix. This is the first of several new programs created specifically for the content platform, which in recent years has seen a lukewarm response from Hollywood to properly embrace it, and is seen as the first steps towards bringing new original programming comparable to television and feature films online. Web-exclusive programs are extremely popular on video sites like YouTube but usually reserved short subjects. ‘House of Cards’ aims to bring long-form programming to the online world, hoping to compete with heavyweights like HBO and Showtime for critical and commercial success.
‘House of Cards’ is unorthodox in that it defies several longstanding television conventions: There are no act breaks to pause for commercials, episodes vary wildly in terms of length, and the series is only available streaming online. Without an option to download or record the show it has advantages to more conventional movies and television series which can be recorded, uploaded to a server, and shared with online users across the globe. It remains to be seen how much this one difference will impact piracy of the series, but as the show is only accessible via a Netflix subscription it’s expected to generate interest from torrent sites like Pirate Bay. ‘Game of Thrones’ is one other series that is only available via a subscription (to HBO) and suffers from widespread copyright abuse. Although ‘House of Cards’ is a remake of a popular British series it has little name recognition in the United States. While ‘Game of Thrones’ was able to build on the success of the bestselling novels any piracy could seriously hurt the longevity of any Netflix-exclusive programming.
If Netflix hopes to generate a new brand in content production they will need to go to great lengths to protect themselves from infringements of their registered trademarks and copyrights. One business offering solutions, as well as the monetization and recovery of lost income due to piracy is Copyright Enforcement Group (CEG-TEK INTL.)
Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) in 1996, allowing for the tracking of file exchanges online. This means that any audio, images, logos, or any type of data can be monitored as it’s being exchanged. CEG uses some of the most sophisticated software available to generate the kind of business intelligence that is important to content owners. CEG TEK registers each infringement in their enormous database, checking each individual IP address against their records to single out repeat offenders. From there takedown notices might be sent out, often resulting in settlement offers or in (extreme cases) legal action. Although it is impossible to track every case of piracy Copyright Enforcement Group boasts an impressive track record and is firmly established as an industry leader. It remains imperative that Netflix firmly embrace copyright enforcement technologies before they risk becoming as outdated as television networks it hopes to replace.
CEG-TEK – Associated Press in Copyright Battle with Clipping Service
Despite setbacks created by the internet newspapers remain an important and widely shared source of information for people the world over. Even with print circulation dropping more people are accessing newspaper content than ever thanks to social media. Unfortunately, many of these shared articles are being done so without the consent or knowledge of the publications who originally created them. Currently the Associated Press is in a legal battle with Meltwater Group, which compiles links and article headlines throughout the internet for subscribers. AP feels that this cuts into their own subscriber-based model, and that it risks losing the ability to monetize their own content. This sampling or ‘clipping’ of content is only one of countless cases of intellectual property being edited and compiled without the approval of the original copyright or registered trademark holders. Audio and video files are especially prone to this on YouTube, where aspiring DJs and film editors compile mixes of existing content without properly attributing that content to its rightful owners.
Sophisticated technology or extreme vigilance are required to properly catalog and register these types of infringement. While not as direct as simply sharing a movie or music online this ‘clipping’ is detrimental to brands and hurts the bottom lines of companies everywhere. Even major recording artists have been accused of illegally sampling their peers music for their own tracks. Before this was isolated to record producers but as recording equipment becomes more affordable now anyone is capable of doing the same thing from the comfort of their home. Copyright enforcement groups are working on solutions to this growing problem, but only CEG-TEK INTL. has the sophisticated tracking software necessary to do it effectively.
CEG compiles data in compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and generated valuable business intelligence in the process. This tracking of infringements allows content owners to better understand the severity of piracy online as well as informing them about the types of people who pirate it. This knowledge is extremely valuable as it shines light on who is interested in their content but unwilling to pay for it. Progressive business models and payment methods are a modern necessity for content owners whether it be a pay-as-you-go method or finding new ways to incentivize the purchase. CEG-TEK can alongside businesses to come up with diverse solutions to fit any content company’s needs. In extreme cases of copyright abuse takedown notices and legal action can be pursued, as evidenced by the Associated Press and their current battle against Meltwater Group.
In many cases this ‘clipping’ is almost flattering. Andy Warhol is a famous ‘clipper’ who took basic images and logos and transformed them into iconic pop art. This helped to embed brands like Campbell’s Soup deeper into the American consciousness and actually increased sales of the food overall. However, this type of action cannot go unchecked. In the future content owners need to be more open to the use and interpretation of their works, as the internet has empowered consumers by giving them access to the entire world’s media.
CEG TEK – Oz The Great and Powerful’ Creates Copyright Confusion
‘Oz The Great and Powerful,’ a new Disney film prequel to classic ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ book has become the first blockbuster movie of 2013. Featuring James Franco as a young stage magician mistaken for being a powerful wizard, opened to huge numbers on its opening weekend and work has already begun on the sequel. ‘Oz’ is an American classic and has been cemented into the public consciousness thanks in large part to the popularity of the classic MGM musical starring Judy Garland.
However, during production of the film great effort was taken by its producers to avoid any confusion between this new ‘Oz’ and its predecessors. Images, video, audio, logos, and even dialogue from the MGM film had to be avoided at all cost as the rights holders are fiercely protective of their copyright. Still, the original book which inspired it has been in the public domain for decades, created a tightrope walk for producers of the most recent film adaptation. Many recognizable Oz characters are absent from the new film in place of original creations that Disney could establish proper ownership of, and even the color of the Wicked Witch of the West’s skin had to be altered so as not to mimic Margaret Hamilton’s green-skinned Wicked Witch too closely.
Older stage and literary works such as ‘Alice in Wonderland’ or ‘Oz’ have been public domain for decades, leading to countless reprinting and adaptations over the years. These new incarnations are fair game for anyone to produce legally, but some of their better-known adaptations are still protected under copyright law. As such creating an ‘Oz’ film involves difficult decisions over which elements can be re-featured or modified and which must be shelved for fear of infringing on existing registered trademarks.
In some cases these concerns are valid. MGM has closely guarded their ‘Oz’ brand and its iconography for decades. Many moviegoers are unaware of the fact that several of the most famous elements from ‘Oz’ (such as the ruby slippers) are inventions of the film and not part of the public domain. When Disney made ‘Return to Oz’ in the 1980′s they had to spend a great deal of money to license the rights to the ruby slippers despite the rest of the film clearly trying to distance itself from the musical.
As a way to protect content from online sharing many businesses are looking to copyright enforcement companies such as CEG TEK INTL to provide new solutions to this growing problem of piracy. Copyright Enforcement Group (CEG) uses powerful software for the tracking of infringements. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) enables CEG to trace these downloads back to an individual computer, and from there takedown notices or settlement offers can be arranged.
Some companies choose not to prosecute users with an eye towards monetization, but others prefer to use the tracking software as a way to generate business intelligence about who is using their content. CEG TEK has a sterling reputation within the copyright enforcement world, and their recent technological advances have guaranteed that they will remain an industry leader for years to come.
Copyright Enforcement Group – Superman Copyright Claims Settled by Higher Court
After decades of legal battles between Warner Brothers and the estates of Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel a judge has finally made a definitive ruling regarding the copyright to Superman. A previous ruling made by a U.S. district court judge in January was upheld recently after the Siegel estate had argued that it was able to reclaim Superman’s registered trademarks and copyrights through the ‘termination rights’ of the Copyright Act. The Shuster estate had since dropped its claim to Superman’s rights after a prolonged and difficult legal battle that had been percolating for many years.
Superman was first created in 1938 by Shuster & Siegel for DC Comics and became an iconic American hero almost overnight. Unable to foresee Superman’s enduring popularity the two creators signed away their ownership of the character for a few hundred dollars, a pittance compared to the billions of dollars the superhero has earned DC Comics and its parent company Warner Brothers. Millions of Superman comic books were sold every week and a wildly successful Superman radio show soon followed. Shuster & Siegel continued making Superman comics for several years, receiving some notoriety for their work but virtually no part of the character’s earnings. The two creators lived in poverty and obscurity for decades even as the Superman television series starring George Reeves became a global phenomenon.
Finally public shaming of DC Comics surrounding the release of the Christopher Reeves Superman film resulted in the publisher offering a pension to the aging creators if they would sign away any remaining rights they might have had over the property. It is only through this deal that Shuster & Siegel’s names are credited as creators on any new production featuring their iconic hero. Both Shuster & Siegel passed away in the 1990′s, and their estates began the process of contesting DC’s ownership of the characters. Given the sheer amount of video, audio, images, logos, video games and merchandise featuring Superman this would mean dozens of smaller lawsuits, often with contradictory verdicts. More rights have been guaranteed to the estates of the original creators, but nearly every verdict has remained favorable to Warner Brothers.
Superman remains one of the most popular and well-known figures throughout the entire world and as a result copyright infringements are extremely common. Unlicensed Superman merchandise alone generates millions of dollars in revenue, and piracy of Superman media also accounts for a large loss of potential monetization for both Warner Brothers and the Shuster & Siegel estates. Proper enforcement of these copyrights can be difficult with such a large brand, but companies such as Copyright Enforcement Group (CEG-TEK INTL.) are able to provide meaningful solutions and potential revenue recovery.
As a new Superman feature film is ready to hit theatres Warner Brothers can breathe a sigh of relief that their days fighting with the Shuster & Siegel estates is finally over. Still, it will be imperative that they continue to protect Superman’s image from piracy and infringements for years to come. CEG has sophisticated tracking software facilitated by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) that helps generated worthwhile business intelligence for the content owner. CEG-TEK is a global leader in copyright enforcement.
CEG TEK – Universities Abandon Access Copyright
Access Copyright, a service that makes copyrighted materials available to university students, has been dropped by several prominent schools in the wake of rising costs. As a result Access Copyright has taken Toronto’s York University to court for improperly reproducing materials once made available through their service. In addition, Access Copyright has also filed two applications with the Copyright Board of Canada, which would require all of its schools and universities to pay fees for access to their libraries, even if they aren’t being used. This is only the latest in a string of reorganization and restructuring as higher education continues to adapt to new technologies and the digital age.
The fees for Access Copyright annually come down to about 26 dollars annually per student, which cumulatively would be millions upon millions of dollars. Academic research is held to a high standard worldwide, and the expense at cataloguing and producing these materials is enormous. As a result schools are traditionally charged for access to this information. The internet has continued to grow, so traditional sources of academic research have been threatened by similar materials that are available freely online.
Copyright enforcement online is generally focused on audio, video, images, logos and basic data, but there is still an enormous amount of piracy online for major textbooks and academic materials. Everything from scientific journals to statistical data is being duplicated and shared online without the knowledge or approval of the content holder. These files are more popular in many ways than even videos, which makes it even harder to verify the identity of the files when they are being shared online in a sea of data. Infringement of registered trademarks and copyrights is commonplace and software developers are losing a huge amount of their income due to piracy. Copyright Enforcement Group (CEG TEK INTL) remains one of the few companies that is able to secure the protection and tracking of complicated software programs online.
While it’s true that there is a wealth of properly cited and researched data online much of it is seen as unfit for the collegiate world. Still, the push away from traditional sources of information has impacted those whose livelihoods are dependent on academic research, including textbook manufacturers. Textbooks are even more likely to pirated online than audio and video files. As the price of these books continues to rise more and more students are looking to the internet as a free and easy way to get these copyrighted materials for their own use. Traditionally these types of materials have relied on strict copyright enforcement to secure their long-term economic feasibility.
CEG TEK generates meaningful business intelligence that gives companies some recovery and monetization due to their lost income. CEG works in accordance with the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) and uses takedown notices to help remove infringing content from the internet. As time goes on protecting trademarks is becoming increasingly important in establishing a brand, and it seems that few companies are able to match the technological capabilities CEG has developed over the years. Regardless of the type of digital content, CEG should be the first choice for any content owner trying to protect their work online.
CEG TEK – Indonesia Music Industry Cites $1.65 Million Daily Loss as Piracy-related
Citing figures from the Indonesian Record Industry Association (AIRI) The Jakarta Post has reported that online piracy has completely decimated their homegrown music industry. The internet-savvy nation has a large consumer base that has quickly adapted to receiving content digitally, and in a few short years record stores have completely faded away. Digital distribution is now the primary way music is purchased in Indonesia, but in many cases this is done through illegal file-sharing and copyright infringement. More than 6 million people download music illegally from popular file-sharing sites such as The Pirate Bay, and it is estimated the astonishing economic losses equal roughly $1.65 million dollars daily.
This is a major blow to Indonesian pop music, which had dominated the charts throughout Asian for years. These financial losses are staggering, and threaten to kill off Indonesia’s music industry entirely. What’s more, some believe that this is the first sign of a larger problem facing music distribution. Despite many efforts to combat online piracy the rate at which music file-sharing continues to increase across the globe, and Indonesia’s musical collapse could be the first of many that will eventually suffer.
Audio, video, data, images, logos, and just about anything can be download from the internet these days and many young people are often doing it in violation of existing copyright laws. Copyright Enforcement Group is a growing leader in the field of copyright enforcement and have a dedicated team working towards the monetization of lost income due to internet piracy. CEG also offer data protection, tracking, and business intelligence services. As time goes on the need for more comprehensive solutions is needed and CEG TEK is the best option available to both established and emerging businesses.
Economic stagnation will ultimately result from the complicated piracy situation in Indonesia. Even worse, the nation has a notoriously difficult copyright and patent system, which makes copyright enforcement that much more difficult. In fact, it can take as long as 18 months to be granted a patent or copyright by the government in that country. This means that newly released music might be leaked and spread online a year before the content owner is able to assert their ownership over it in court, which is a terrifying prospect. In the United States the process is relatively expedited, but content producers in America feel strongly that more can be done to protect the investment and time put forth by artists to create their art.
CEG TEK INTL offers low-cost registration for these services and many more, which include takedown notices and settlement offers in accordance with the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act.) They have proven time and again that they are a reliable brand in the emerging new area of copyright enforcement.
Solutions are needed to combat piracy, but also to make it easier to protect a copyright and patent in Indonesia. There will always be some backlash in enforcing laws such as this, but CEG has the benefit of a comprehensive legal team and a young, energetic staff ready to handle today and tomorrow’s challenges.
