Author Archives: Jon Festinger, Q.C.

About Jon Festinger, Q.C.

Husband/father/practitioner/educator. Faculty, Centre for Digital Media. Adjunct Professor UBC Law School. Firm: Festinger Law & Strategy LLP. Author of Video Game Law (LexisNexis 2005) & co-author of Video Game Law 2nd Edition (LexisNexis 2012). Twitter: @gamebizlaw

News of the Week; March 6, 2013

1. I’m a Victim of Gun Violence. I’m Also a Video Game Developer: http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/02/28/a_victim_of_gun_violence_who_is_also_a_video_game_developer_weighs_in_on.html

2. Gun Control Debate: Violent Video Games Actually Decrease Violence, Study Finds: http://www.policymic.com/articles/28280/violent-video-games-actually-decrease-violence-study-finds

3. “SIX STRIKES,” PIRACY, AND YOUR INTERNET: http://ihogeek.com/2013/03/01/sixstrikes/

4. The Corporate Coup Over Copyright Infringement: http://clearancebinreview.com/2013/02/28/dr-geek-the-corporate-coup-over-copyright-infringement/

5. A Rational System of Design Patent Remedies (paper by Mark Lemley): http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2226508

6. Opening Arguments in Nintendo 3D Patent Infringement Case: http://gamepolitics.com/2013/02/27/opening-arguments-nintendo-3d-patent-infringement-case

7. Licensors beware! Second Circuit decision confirms policy concerns in patent law trump contract law: http://www.hodgsonruss.com/Home/News_Seminars/Articles_and_Alerts/LicensorsBewareSecondCircuitDecisionConfirmsPolicyConcernsinPatentLawTrumpContractLaw

8. Square Enix “investigating” after Tesco stores break Tomb Raider street date: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-03-04-some-tesco-stores-have-broken-tomb-raider-street-date

9. 38 Studios’ Schilling wants fraud lawsuit dismissed: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-03-05-38-studios-schilling-wants-fraud-lawsuit-

10. EA Backtracks A Bit On The Whole “Microtransactions In Every Game” Thing: http://consumerist.com/2013/03/06/ea-backtracks-a-bit-on-the-whole-microtransactions-in-every-game-thing/

11. Kids Reveal The Real Flaws Of Free-To-Play Games: http://kotaku.com/5988036/kids-reveal-the-real-flaws-of-free+to+play-games

12. Games Workshop and the Space Marine trademark spat (Jas Purewal): http://www.gamerlaw.co.uk/2013/games-workshop-space-marine/

13. What the Harlem Shake can teach us about copyright: http://the1709blog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/what-harlem-shake-can-teach-us-about.html?m=1

14. Egyptian protestors trade ‘Harlem Shake’ taunts with Islamist regime: http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/3/4061498/harlem-shake-meme-becomes-political-in-egypt

15. Life Inside the Aaron Swartz Investigation: http://m.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/13/03/life-inside-the-aaron-swartz-investigation/273654/

16. Google’s ‘Ingress’ augmented reality game puts Android users into a battle against worldwide mind control: http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/15/3649668/google-ingress-augmented-reality-game-beta

17. A Museum’s Games Are Not on Pedestals: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/04/arts/video-games/a-museums-games-are-not-on-pedestals.html?nl=technology&emc=edit_tu_20130304&_r=0

18. A History of Gaming Platforms: Atari 2600 Video Computer System/VCS: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131956/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php?print=1

19. The glorious propaganda of Eve Online: http://killscreendaily.com/articles/news/glorious-propaganda-eve/

And in the not really relevant category:

20. I Sold My Video Games To Pay For My Wedding, And Said Goodbye To Part Of Myself: http://kotaku.com/5988493/i-sold-my-video-games-to-pay-for-my-wedding-and-said-goodbye-to-part-of-myself

21. Oakland Rapper Pope Emeritus Threatens Lawsuit: http://m.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2013/02/oakland-rapper-pope-emeritus-threatens-lawsuit.html

22. A new twist to Chubby Checker: http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/detail.aspx?g=ffb56d7f-6a77-400c-8dce-9b6c393d6bc6

jon

 

News of the Week; Feb. 27,2013

  

1. Make A Counterstrike Map Of A Montreal Metro Station, Get Threatened With $50,000 Fine: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130219/17273422032/make-counterstrike-map-montreal-metro-station-get-threatened-with-50000-fine.shtml

2. Former FBI Profiler: Video Games Do Not Cause Violencehttp://gamepolitics.com/2013/02/25/former-fbi-profiler-video-games-do-not-cause-violence#.USwJD6XR0m0

3. Majority of Americans Believe Games Contribute to Violence: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122351-Majority-of-Americans-Believe-Games-Contribute-to-Violence

4. Fear of a Woman Warrior: http://www.gamespot.com/features/fear-of-a-woman-warrior-6404142/?part=rss&subj=6404142

5. Sony patent application measures load times to detect pirated games: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/02/sony-patent-application-measures-load-times-to-detect-pirated-games/

6. BFI to administer games tax relief cultural test: http://www.develop-online.net/news/43372/BFI-to-administer-games-tax-relief-cultural-test

7. Zynga announces more job cuts, closures—will online gambling keep it afloat?: http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/02/zynga-announces-more-job-cuts-closures-will-online-gambling-keep-it-afloat/

8. New Jersey Passes Online Gambling Law: http://gamepolitics.com/2013/02/26/new-jersey-passes-online-gambling-law

9. “The Illegal Process: Basic Problems in the Making and Application of Censorship” by James Grimmelmann: http://lawreview.uchicago.edu/sites/lawreview.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/Dialogue/Grimmelmann%20Online.pdf

In response to:

10. “Orwell’s Armchair” by Derek Bambauer: http://lawreview.uchicago.edu/sites/lawreview.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/79_3/01%20Bambauer%20ART.pdf

11. A Charter Right to Search Google?: http://blog.bennettjones.com/blog/2013/02/13/a-charter-right-to-search-google/

12. Via Michael Geist – R. v. Fearon: the Ontario CA decision on searching cellphones without a warrant if no password protection: http://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions/2013/2013ONCA0106.htm

13. Alan Westin, scholar who helped shape internet privacy law, dies at 83: http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/2/25/4027072/alan-westin-legal-scholar-privacy-law-obituary

14. I used Google Glass: the future, but with monthly updates: http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/22/4013406/i-used-google-glass-its-the-future-with-monthly-updates

15. French Tax Proposal Zeroes In on Web Giants’ Data Harvest: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/25/technology/french-tax-proposal-zeroes-in-on-web-giants-data-harvest.html?nl=technology&emc=edit_tu_20130225

16. Property, intangible: Who, Exactly, is an “Author”?: http://www.propertyintangible.com/2013/02/who-exactly-is-author.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+PropertyIntangible+(Property,+intangible)&m=1

17. Internet providers launch controversial Copyright Alert System, promise ‘education’ over lawsuits: http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/2/25/4026194/infamous-six-strike-anti-piracy-program-barks-harder-than-it-bites

18. Buying Keyword Ads on People’s Names Doesn’t Violate Their Publicity Rights: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericgoldman/2013/02/25/buying-keyword-ads-on-peoples-names-doesnt-violate-their-publicity-rights/

19. The Use of Legal Scholarship in Intellectual Property Decisions: http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2013/02/scholarship-roundup-the-use-of-legal-scholarship-in-intellectual-property-decisions.html

And in the not really relevant category:

20. New York Yankees: Yes, We’re ‘Evil’: http://m.wsj.com/articles/a/SB10001424127887323549204578320531185286140?mg=reno64-wsj

21. Judge: Mocking Lindsay Lohan Is Allowed; Plagiarizing A Court Filing, Not So Much: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130222/08194922069/judge-mocking-lindsay-lohan-is-allowed-plagiarizing-court-filing-not-so-much.shtml

jon

News of the Week; Feb. 20, 2013 (Reading Week Edition)

1. Real Crime in Virtual Worlds: http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/JohnKrajewski/20130214/186639/Real_Crime_in_Virtual_Worlds.php

2. EA and Zynga Settle The Ville -The Sims: Social Lawsuits: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/02/15/ea-and-zynga-settle-ville-sims-social-lawsuits#.UR8TLRG9KSM

3. Snap happy! Freedom of speech is a human right – and it trumps copyright, Strasbourg judges rule: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2275796/Snap-happy-Freedom-spe @GamePolitics: Fourteen Video Games on View at Museum of Modern Art http://t.co/Upox6sR6 #eca

4. @GamePolitics: Fourteen Video Games on View at Museum of Modern Art: http://t.co/Upox6sR6

5. Research: As Violent Video Game Sales Climb, Violent Crime Among Youths Decreases: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/02/13/research-violent-video-game-sales-climb-crime-among-youths-decreases#.UR9AI6XR0m0

6. Why creativity is like a slot machine:http://t.co/TSt6hdY0

7. Virtual currency and virtual property revisited: http://www.technollama.co.uk/virtual-currency-and-virtual-property-revisited 

8. The Privacy Legal Implications of Big Data: A Primer: http://www.infolawgroup.com/2013/02/articles/big-data/the-privacy-legal-implications-of-big-data-a-primer/?

9. As 3-D Printing Becomes More Accessible, Copyright Questions Arise: http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/02/19/171912826/as-3-d-printing-become-more-accessible-copyright-questions-arise

10. Facebook’s Biggest Problem With Brands Right Now: ‘Illegal’ Competitions: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-problem-facebook-needs-to-address-for-brands-right-now-2013-2

11. Report: Chinese Government Creating Criteria for Online Gaming Addictionhttp://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/02/19/report-chinese-government-creating-criteria-online-gaming-addiction#.USQhxaXR0m0

12. Sony’s EyePad patent shows off a controller that can bring real-world items into games: http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/19/4005890/sony-eyepad-controller-patent-shows-off-3d-mapping-cameras

13. Internet platforms can assume the role of publisher and become liable for defamation, rules (U.K.) Court of Appeal: http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2013/february/internet-platforms-can-assume-the-role-of-publisher-and-become-liable-for-defamation-rules-court-of-appeal/

Tamiz v Google Inc [2013] EWCA Civ 68 (14 February 2013): http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2013/68.html&query=tamiz&method=Boolean

And in the not really relevant category:

14. What if Crim Law was taught by cartoons?: http://www.abajournal.com/books/article/podcast_episode_018/

15. Shaw Industries files declaratory judgment action against Hershey over KISSES® marks: http://www.natlawreview.com/article/shaw-industries-files-declaratory-judgment-action-against-hershey-over-kisses-tradem

jon

X-Plane & Uniloc

A few weeks ago I alluded in class to the lawsuit facing my favourite (ok, pretty well the only) commercial flight sim X-Plane which appears to be in quite a fight against a “patent assertion entity”.

Here is a link as promised to the relevant page from the X-Plane website: http://www.x-plane.com/x-world/lawsuit/

Also via Claudio Satorelli a graduate of the MDM program at the Centre for Digital Media a reason TV story about the lawsuit featuring Austin Meyer the founder of X-Plane as well as comments from the Electronic Frontier Foundation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDg-Wh0XA-w&list=PLEqpzAExPV-xr9gIhSqLMxTSXrimGF6pA&index=11

Any thoughts/reactions/perspectives?

jon

Paper inspirations

As we’ve talked about, now is the time to focus on papers topics & getting started (or better) on them. Attached is a link to a very useful paper by Stephen M. McJohn, which for your purposes is a nice overview of interesting 2012 U.S. IP cases. By going through the paper you might well end up thinking about a few topics you have not thought of, or considering issues you have looked at but through an additional lens.

Top Tens in 2012: Patent, Trademark, Copyright and Trade Secret Cases by Stephen McJohn :: SSRN.

jon

HLS Copyright Course: Special Event 1, The Interests of Authors – YouTube

Prof. William Fisher is making his Harvard Law School on Copyright available gratis through edX. Below you will find an excellant two hour discussion of copyright from the perspective of creators. Among the four speakers is John Drake of Harmonix, the company that created the “Guitar Hero”, “Rockband” and “Dance Central” series. Those games are particularly interesting because the genre is itself a form of re-mix of the creative works of others.

All of the speakers are very worthwhile. Most of the legal perspective comes from Dale Cendali of Kirkland & Ellis. FYI John Drake is introduced @ 7:20 & speaks @ 30:57. Dale Cendali is introduced @ 8:20 & speaks @ 36:44

jon