Math videos on Google

Ok, this is not strictly related to copyright, but is pretty cool and you should know about it. Pearson education and Google have teamed up to make math videos available to the masses. You can link to these videos from your website or blackboard classroom and have the ability to provide great content that is no work for you. What could be better?

Well, it could be better if it were all free - students can purchase the lectures for 99 cents to $3.99 for lectures and textbook chapters. There are some free lectures available as well.

These kinds of lectures can be especially useful for folks who have math components in their non-math classes and need some way for the folks who need extra help to get it without taking up class time.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-22-2007/0004551474&EDATE=

Fair Use - Use it or lose it

This article is from last year, but sets out an interesting argument about the chilling effect of copyright protection. The examples given are on satirical artistic expression.
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3066

FAIR USE Act

If you were at my workshop on Monday, you learned about the prosed FAIR USE Act. Here is a little more information about it from a critical perspective - http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=6270

If you missed the workshop, you're in luck. We are offering it again early in Spring quarter. Keep an eye out for the announcement.

Digital media, ethics and law

Here is a handy explanation of ethical and legal issues around the use of digital media from the University of Michigan - http://www.umich.edu/~policies/digital-media.html

Google violating Copyright?

Google's motto is "do no evil", yet compaines like Micrisoft and Viacom, are accusing Google of that very thing through it's "overbroad" reading of fair use. What do you think?

http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Microsoft_Google_Violates_Copyright/551-79672-643.html

Insurance for Documentary Filmmakers

Copyright has been challenge for some documentary filmmakers. Now an insurance company has teamed up with Stanford Law School's Fair Use Project to protect filmmakers against claims of fair use violation.

http://sev.prnewswire.com/entertainment/20070227/AQTU03927022007-1.html

Art and Copyright

Here is an artist's report on a copyright conference of the New York Bar Association and the College Art Association titled "Reexamining Appropriation: The Copy, the Law, and Beyond." Interesting reading!

Copyright Brochure

The Association of Research Libraries has published a brochure that you may find useful. "Know Your Copy Rights—What You Can Do - A 2007 Brochure Aimed at Faculty and Teaching Assistants" is available for free download from the organization's copyright website.

FAIR USE Act of 2007 Introduced in Congress this week

The Chronicle of Higher Education is reporting that a bill was introduced in Congress this week to make it easier for educators to use copyrighted materials.

The bill is called The Freedom and Innovation Revitalizing U.S. Entrepreneurship Act of 2007, or Fair Use Act (HR 1201). The bill was introduced by Congressman Rick Boucher of Virginia. He discusses the details of the bill here.

The bill is supported by the Library Copyright Alliance, which includes the American Library Association, but opposed by the recording industry (surprise, surprise).

Feel free to post your thoughts on this bill - would it help with your teaching?