May, 2013

1. Atari Seeks Permission to Hold Asset Auctions in July from Bankruptcy Court: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/05/23/atari-seeks-permission-hold-asset-auctions-july-bankruptcy-court#.UZ64cpVC7fg

2. German commissioner highlights Xbox One privacy concerns: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-28-german-commissioner-highlights-xbox-one-privacy-concerns?utm_content=bufferb0a5d&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

3. Can the next generation consoles block used games?: http://www.gamerlaw.co.uk/2013/can-the-next-generation-consoles-block-used-games/

4. Cheating in Online Video Games: http://techland.time.com/2013/05/24/cheating-in-online-video-games/

5. Gaming Tax Credits: A Developer’s Guide to Free Money: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-22-gaming-tax-credits-a-developers-guide-to-free-money

6. ESA Releases 2012 Annual Report: http://gamepolitics.com/2013/05/28/esa-releases-2012-annual-report#.Uabu85VC7fg

7. The legal status of virtual goods: http://www.lawyersweekly.ca/index.php?section=article&articleid=1912&rssid=4

8. Demcak v. Vo, 2013 BCSC 899 (unlike Ontario, no common law tort in B.C. for invasion of privacy: http://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bcsc/doc/2013/2013bcsc899/2013bcsc899.html

9. User Generated Content Under Canadian Copyright Law: http://www.teresascassa.ca/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=128:user-generated-content-under-canadian-copyright-law

10. Revoking an “implied” software license: http://www.mondaq.com/canada/x/241970/Licensing+Syndication/Revoking+An+Implied+Software+License

11. Vermont Enacts The Nation’s First Anti-Patent Trolling Law: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericgoldman/2013/05/22/vermont-enacts-the-nations-first-anti-patent-trolling-law/

12. Teens, Social Media, and Privacy: New Survey Findings from Pew and the Berkman Center: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/node/8325

13. Facing Pressure, Facebook Will Review Efforts to Bar Hate Speech: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/29/daily-report-facing-pressure-facebook-to-review-efforts-to-bar-hate-speech/?nl=technology&emc=edit_tu_20130529

14. If You Thought Copyright Was A Mess On Earth, What Does It Look Like In Space?: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130524/00583723201/if-you-thought-copyright-was-mess-earth-what-does-it-look-like-space.shtml

jon

Had the privilege today of speaking about Video Game Law as an open course at the UBC Centre for Teaching, Learning & Technology’s annual week-long CTLT Institute program. My talk followed presentations from Christina Hendricks, a Senior Instructor who regularly teaches both in Philosophy and in Arts One at UBC, and from Jon Beasley-Murray who teaches in the Department of French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies and in the Arts One program.

The description of the session was:

“The word “open” is increasingly being mentioned in conjunction with teaching and learning. Open education is an effort to eliminate access barriers, such as time and location, and this session will feature multiple instructors who have embraced an open approach in their teaching and learning projects:

* The Arts One Digital project is an open, online extension to the Arts One program that combines History, English, and Philosophy to introduce students to some of the classic texts of the past two millennia of world civilization. The goal of Arts One Digital project is to enable anyone to join this voyage of discovery and critical analysis.
* VideoGameLaw is the course blog for LAW450:Video Game Law and features open course content as well as students, instructors, and industry experts engaging in dialogue and discussion about the legal aspects of the digital media and video game. The goal of LAW450 is to continue scholarship in these areas.

This session will explore their motivations and definitions for what “open” means. In addition to hearing their stories, we will discuss the impact openness had on their pedagogy, student engagement, and use of technology. We will also look at how to determine if these efforts are meeting the instructors goals and improving the student experience.”

Here are my slides and the video of the whole session:

Download the PowerPoint Slides

jon

1. Ryan Hart v. Electronic Arts (USCA 3rd) – “NCAA Football” right of publicity opinion filed May 21, 2013: http://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/opinarch/113750p.pdf

2. Nintendo targets user YouTube videos: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/05/16/nintendo-targets-lets-play-videos-youtube#.UZUYuZVC7fg

3. Nintendo’s YouTube Ad-Grab Is Playing With Fire: http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2013/05/nintendo-youtube-lets-play/

4. Virtual and augmented reality: the next big legal controversy for games?: http://www.gamerlaw.co.uk/2013/virtual-and-augmented-reality-the-next-big-legal-controversy-for-games/

5. Shady Shadow of the Eternals T&C’s ‘a mistake’: http://www.develop-online.net/news/44225/Shady-Shadow-of-the-Eternals-TCs-a-mistake

6. Former GTA Producer: Why I’ll Never Work On Violent Games Again: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-17-former-gta-producer-why-ill-never-work-on-violent-games-again

7. Researchers: Games With Human Opponents Make Players More Aggressive: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/05/20/researchers-games-human-opponents-make-players-more-aggressive

8. Nova Scotia new tort of cyberbullying: http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=2f8ff381-9751-48c0-a93d-3c467b55c307

9. Blehm v. Jacobs: Can you Infringe the Copyright of a Stick Figure?: http://copyrightem.com/blehm-v-jacobs-can-you-infringe-the-copyright-of-a-stick-figure

10. Lawmakers Show Concerns About Google’s New Glasses: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/17/technology/lawmakers-pose-questions-on-google-glass.html?nl=technology&emc=edit_tu_20130517&_r=0

11. Google’s business practices to be investigated by Canadian Competition Bureau: http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/18/4342242/googles-business-practices-to-be-investigated-by-canadian-competition-bureau

12. Is the Patent System Working or Broken? A Discussion with Four Distinguished Federal Judges – (Event Audio/Video): http://www.fed-soc.org/publications/detail/is-the-patent-system-working-or-broken-a-discussion-with-four-distinguished-federal-judges-event-audiovideo

13. The Remixing Dilemma: The Trade-off Between Generativity and Originality – Benjamin Mako Hill & Andrés Monroy-Hernández: http://research.microsoft.com/pubs/192117/hill_monroy-remixing_dilemma.pdf

14. Resale of digital music: US v EU approach: http://www.williamfry.ie/publication-article/resale_of_digital_music_us_v_eu_approach.aspx

15. Apple Avoided Billions in Taxes, Congressional Panel Says: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/21/business/apple-avoided-billions-in-taxes-congressional-panel-says.html?emc=na

jon

1. EA will no longer pay gun makers for the right to depict weapons in games: http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/8/4311300/electronic-arts-distances-itself-from-gun-manufacturers

2. ‘Xbox Killer’ Takes Conviction Fight to Florida Supreme Court: http://gamepolitics.com/2013/05/09/xbox-killer-takes-conviction-fight-florida-supreme-court#.UZPyh5VC7fg

3. Research: Frequent Exposure to Violent Games May Have ‘Desensitizing Effect’: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/05/10/research-frequent-exposure-violent-games-may-have-desensitizing-effect#.UZKU1pVC7fg

4. Vice President Sees No Legal Hurdles in Enacting Sin Tax on Violent Media: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/05/13/vice-president-sees-no-legal-hurdles-enacting-sin-tax-violent-media#.UZJvM5VC7fh

5. Blizzard Donates Money Made from Diablo III Gold Glitch to Children’s Charity: http://gamepolitics.com/2013/05/13/blizzard-donates-money-made-diablo-iii-gold-glitch-childrens-charity#.UZKLz5VC7fg

6. Make Your Own Video Game With No Coding Required: http://mashable.com/2013/05/07/pixel-press/

7. Appeals court ruling could be ‘death’ of software patents: http://m.networkworld.com/news/2013/051013-appeals-court-ruling-could-be-269658.html#mobify-bookmark

8. The Intellectual Property Implications of Low-Cost 3D Printing by S. Bradshaw, A. Bowyer & P. Haufe: http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/ahrc/script-ed/vol7-1/bradshaw.asp

9. Google, Twitter, Facebook and the new global battle over the future of free speech: http://www.newrepublic.com/article/113045/free-speech-internet-silicon-valley-making-rules

10. Are end-user agreements for tangible products on the horizon?: http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=6777a6e3-acc7-42db-b511-36446fbb1769

11. The state of Internet privacy in 2013: Research roundup: http://journalistsresource.org/studies/economics/business/the-state-of-internet-privacy-in-2013-research-roundup#

12. In the not entirely relevant category:

A Theory of Justice, the Musical Imagines Philosopher John Rawls as a Time-Traveling Adventurer: http://www.openculture.com/2013/05/ia_theory_of_justice_the_musicali_imagines_philosopher_john_rawls_as_a_time-traveling_adventurer.html

13. And in the could we possibly be more prejudiced and out of date category:

Nintendo of Japan Patches Out Same-Sex Relationships in Tomodachi Collection: New Life: http://gamepolitics.com/2013/05/13/nintendo-japan-patches-out-sam-sex-relationships-tomodachi-collection-new-life#.UZKFTpVC7fg

jon

1. Cat meme creators in legal battle with Scribblenauts: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-03-cat-meme-creators-in-legal-battle-with-scribblenauts?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=european-daily

2. Sega, Gearbox Respond to Aliens: Colonial Marines Class Action Lawsuit: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/05/03/sega-gearbox-respond-aliens-colonial-marines-class-action-lawsuit#.UYgYpZVC7fh

3. Piracy or baiting? The thorny legal question of Game Dev Tycoon’s honeypot: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/05/piracy-or-baiting-the-thorny-legal-question-of-game-dev-storys-honeypot/

4. New S. Korean legislation groups games with alcohol and drugs: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-03-new-s-korean-legislation-groups-games-with-alcohol-and-drugs?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=european-daily

5. Patrice Desilets leaves Ubisoft again: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-07-patrice-desilets-leaves-ubisoft-again

6. EA drops gun licenses, will use them anyway: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-08-ea-drops-gun-licenses-will-use-them-anyway?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=european-daily

7. Want to Slow Mental Decay? Play a Video Game: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130501192918.htm?utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer:%2Bvincefavilla%2Bon%2Btwitter&buffer_share=7fc40

8. Google hires a chief game designer, but isn’t saying why: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/191644/Google_hires_a_chief_game_designer_but_isnt_saying_why.php

9. Court Dismisses Craigslist Suit Against Competitors: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/01/court-dismisses-craigslist-suit-against-competitors/?nl=technology&emc=edit_tu_20130502

10. Facebook wins millions in case against typo squatters: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57582384-93/facebook-wins-millions-in-case-against-typo-squatters/

jon

1. SEGA, Gearbox sued in class action lawsuit over Aliens-CM: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-01-sega-gearbox-sued-in-class-action-lawsuit-over-aliens-cm?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=european-daily

2. Electronic Arts Faces Jury Trial Over ‘Madden NFL’: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/electronic-arts-faces-jury-trial-447243?buffer_share=0590c&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer%253A%252Bwkeithrobinson%252Bon%252Btwitter

3. Greenheart Games Trolls Pirates With Altered Cracked Version Of Game Dev Tycoon: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130429/07360222878/greenheart-games-trolls-pirates-with-altered-cracked-version-game-dev-tycoon.shtml

4. Experts – Chris Christie’s Video Game Proposals Would Face Uphill Legal Battles: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/04/24/experts-chris-christies-video-game-proposals-would-face-uphill-legal-battles#.UXhpGpVC5Lw

5. In Defense of Violent Video Games: http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2013/04/29/no-link-between-violent-video-games-effects-and-school-shootings

6. Scientology Spoof Takes Grand Theft Auto V Ads Viral: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123598-Scientology-Spoof-Takes-Grand-Theft-Auto-V-Ads-Viral

7. Is the end near for used video games? http://www.statesman.com/news/business/is-the-end-near-for-used-video-games/nXWh3/

8. Riot: Don’t ban your players, reform them: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-04-26-riot-dont-ban-your-players-reform-them?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=european-daily

9. GTFO: Don’t film the trolls: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-04-26-gtfo-dont-film-the-trolls?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=european-daily

10. IDC expects paying mobile gamers to pass paying handheld gamers this year: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-04-25-idc-expects-paying-mobile-gamers-to-pass-handhelds-this-year?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=european-daily

11. Court Rules in Artist’s Favor: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/26/arts/design/appeals-court-ruling-favors-richard-prince-in-copyright-case.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1367262745-0VYciVLsAKUHOU4sz2VLGQ

+ Appropriation Artist Richard Prince Prevails Against Photographer at Appeals Court: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/appropriation-artist-richard-prince-prevails-446479

+ USCA decision in Patrick Cariou v. Richard Prince, et al.: http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/5da8dc66-179e-4dc0-94cc-09e213bfffe3/1/doc/11-1197_complete_opn.pdf#xml=http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/5da8dc66-179e-4dc0-94cc-09e213bfffe3/1/hilite/

12. Court Ruling Takes a Stand on Essential High-Tech Patents: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/court-ruling-takes-a-stand-on-essential-high-tech-patents/?nl=technology&emc=edit_tu_20130429

13. Google Transparency Report shows censorship spike, details takedown requests: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/25/google-transparency-report-shows-censorship-spike/

14. Pushing the boundaries of copyright protection? Card, board and football games: http://ipkitten.blogspot.ca/2013/04/pushing-boundaries-of-copyright.html?m=1

15. Disruptions: Brain Computer Interfaces Inch Closer to Mainstream: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/disruptions-no-words-no-gestures-just-your-brain-as-a-control-pad/?nl=technology&emc=edit_tu_20130429

jon