Warner Music claims Lessig is a pirate, has his presentation taken off YouTube

Last night, Larry Lessig tweeted that Warner Music had sent a takedown notice to YouTube over one of his presentations, claiming that it infringed their copyright. Lessig, of course, is one of the nation's leading legal scholars, particularly when it comes to fair use and electronic media. His presentations are filled with examples of companies like Warner sending bogus takedowns over fair-use inclusion of their copyrights in YouTube videos. And there's a burgeoning body of law that affords stiff penalties to companies that send these bogus takedowns.

Oh, this should be good.

@lessig on Twitter

Previously:

Discussion

Take a look at this

#1 posted by Anonymous, April 29, 2009 4:30 AM

Nice.

I got one of these from a music industry scumsucker because I posted a link to a radio show completely unrelated. So ruining them is fine by me. :)

#2 posted by dculberson, April 29, 2009 5:20 AM

I can't help but thing of this snippet of Pulp Fiction dialog:

"Boy, I wish I could've caught him doing it. I'd have given anything to catch that asshole doing it. It'd been worth him doing it just so I could've caught him doing it."

#3 posted by macbrak, April 29, 2009 5:41 AM

somebody make some popcorn...

#4 posted by Blaine, April 29, 2009 5:46 AM

Shit just got REAL!

#5 posted by Blue Tyson, April 29, 2009 5:54 AM

I've had a bogus takedown, so lets hear it for working on the punishment for such.

#6 posted by thewinchester, April 29, 2009 6:04 AM

@MACBRAK I'll take you up on some popcorn, I'll bring the fairy floss and ice cream - this'll be brilliant to watch.

#7 posted by nerak, April 29, 2009 6:08 AM

time warner has money spewing from their assholes, i'm not so sure they care about the consequences.

#8 posted by Cyberwasteland, April 29, 2009 6:11 AM

Irony thou name is Warner Music.

#9 posted by LX, April 29, 2009 6:21 AM

Let's see how this rolls...

#10 posted by eclectro, April 29, 2009 6:21 AM

It does not mean anything unless there are consequences. Warner music obviously thinks there are none.

#11 posted by ill lich, April 29, 2009 6:43 AM

Let's be optimistic, and assume that Warner was just trying to help him illustrate a point.

#12 posted by phosphors, April 29, 2009 7:39 AM

Anybody know what the content in the video was that offended Warner? Lessig prob doesn't even know but just curious...

#13 posted by Alexandre Van de Sande, April 29, 2009 7:51 AM

Lessig for copyright Czar!

#14 posted by Sentinal, April 29, 2009 8:10 AM

Professor Farnsworth: Yes? I see.
Professor Farnsworth: Good news, everyone! Those asinine morons who canceled us were themselves fired for incompetence.
Professor Farnsworth: And not just fired, but beaten up, too... and pretty badly.
Professor Farnsworth: In fact, most of them died from their injuries.
Professor Farnsworth: And then they were ground up into a fine pink powder.
Fry: Why?
Professor Farnsworth: Oh, it's got a million and one uses.
Professor Farnsworth: Aw, that soothes the fire.
Leela: [referring to both the numerous air conditioners and the admirers of Futurama] So what does this mean for us and our many fans?
Professor Farnsworth: It means we're back on the air!
Professor Farnsworth: Yes, flying on the air in our mighty spaceship!
Bender: We're back, baby!

#15 posted by HornCologne, April 29, 2009 8:46 AM

/me rubs hands together in glee, follows @lessig on Twitter, buys a six-pack and joins the line to make popcorn ...

We are all rooting for you, Mr. Lessig!

#16 posted by zikman, April 29, 2009 8:47 AM

god bless larry lessig

#17 posted by Dillenger69, April 29, 2009 9:43 AM

I hate the word "preso" ... whoever decided that was a good word to use instead of "presentation" deserves a punch in the throat.

#18 posted by Anonymous, April 29, 2009 9:50 AM

@#6 Lessig knows what he's doing and will set up some good precedence with this case. So if he wins (I'm assuming he will) It will mean many, many more fines for them in the future.

#19 posted by A New Challenger, April 29, 2009 10:01 AM

Another quote that comes to mind

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

#20 posted by Jenonymous, April 29, 2009 10:54 AM

Me three RE popcorn, cheering squad, etc. Talk about bringing the fight home...I can't wait to read the court transcripts of this case.

#21 posted by Mr. Protocol, April 29, 2009 11:02 AM

It should be good, but it probably won't be. The DMCA treats bogus takedown notices as perjury, and no prosecutor wants to waste his time chasing perjury charges.

Nor does any election-facing, political-winds-chasing prosecutor want to take on the RIAA.

Nothing will come of this.

#22 posted by Gilbert Wham, April 29, 2009 12:40 PM

Personally, I'm makin' pizza. Mmmmmmmmm, pizza and schadenfreude...

#23 posted by Jenonymous, April 29, 2009 2:12 PM

Gilbert,

Schadenfreude...goes great on popcorn also! :D

#24 posted by bkofford, April 29, 2009 7:46 PM

Section 107 (http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107)along with related personal comments sent via http://www.wmg.com/contact#contacts-main

#25 posted by whiterabbit2009, May 1, 2009 1:51 AM

>stiff penalties to companies that send these bogus takedowns.

so what? Are you saying this is a bogus takedown? what makes it bogus? Are you suggesting the material is not copyrighted by Warner?

Maybe a judge would rule that Lessig's use is Fair Use, in that case then maybe he can get YouTube to reinstate it. But can he get penalties from Warner? of course not! Nothing about their claim is "bogus". It's just that they feel like it's infringement, so it's now up to a judge to decide. But they did nothing wrong.

#26 posted by Anonymous, May 1, 2009 9:46 PM

Every time I consider buying music again, the recording industry reminds why I stopped.