AlleyInsider: MediaSet, Silvio Berlusconi, Sue YouTube For $800 Million:
MediaSet, the dominant TV provider in Italy controlled by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, sued Google (GOOG) and YouTube in a Rome court, seeking “at least” $779 million in damages.
The Milan-based company found 4,643 videos from MediaSet companies on YouTube on June 10, representing 325
The NY Times reports today that (1) the authorized version of SCRABBLE on Facebook was the victim of ‘a malicious attack’ by hackers and (2) Hasbro acknowledged that it had waited until the authorized version was up before moving to enjoin Scrabulous. Meanwhile, Hasbro has been subject to criticism and boycott threats.
The Scrabulous situation
Counterfeit Chic: Senate Considers Enforcement of IP Rights Act of 2008:
Among the bill’s additions to existing law are the following:
Authorization of the Attorney General to bring civil, not just criminal actions — a potential benefit to intellectual property rights holders who now have to file such lawsuits on their own dime;
Enhanced
Techcrunch: Scrabulous Gets Wiped Off Facebook:
Long outplayed by two Indian brothers, Hasbro finally delivers a massive counter blow to Scrabulous, one of the most loved games on Facebook. Scrabulous fans in North America will see the following message when they try to play the game:
Scrabulous is disabled for U.S. and Canadian users
KansasCity.com: “Insurance company for Collective Brands dsiputes liability for verdict“:
American Guarantee & Liability Insurance Co. late Thursday sued in U.S. District Court in Kansas pertaining to the verdict returned in May against Collective, which owns and operates Payless ShoeSource, a 4,600-store discount footwear chain.
Adidas America in 2001 sued Payless for copying
Coverage here.
Comment: Scrabble Says Scrabulous Would Pose Risk to Monopoly Which Would Be Trouble.
. . . or perhaps it was the trademark enforcement.
Wall Street Journal article on trademark owners policing use of character costumers by local party performers: “Why Dora the Explorer Can’t Come To Your Kid’s Birthday Party“:
. . . .Though the walk-about “Dora” had the expected pageboy haircut and backpack, her expression
Facebook has sued in California a German company, StudiVZ, for copyright infringement. lIllustration and background from Kasi-Blog here. TechCrunch coverage here. I’ll post the complaint when it’s in hand.
Update: The case is Facebook, Inc. v Studivz, Ltd., Verlagsgruppe George von Holtzbrinck, Holtzbrinck Networks, Holtzbrinck Ventures, filed July 17 2008, 28:1332. The case is