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New Zealand's National Party to Pay $600k for Eminem Copyright Infringement

posted by martyb on Friday October 27 2017, @05:16AM   Printer-friendly
from the kim's-spaghetti dept.

takyon writes:

New Zealand's ruling National Party must pay $600,000 for a copyright-infringing campaign advertisement that used Eminem's track "Lose Yourself" (YT):

New Zealand's ruling National Party must pay $600,000 for infringing the copyrights of Eminem's track "Lose Yourself" in a 2014 election spot. The ruling is significant, not least because the party's political leader at the time was Kim Dotcom's nemesis John Key.

[...] In 2012, the country's law enforcement officials helped to bring down the file-sharing site [Megaupload], including a military-style raid on its founder, Kim Dotcom.

While the Megaupload case is still ongoing, a separate copyright battle in New Zealand came to a conclusion this week. In this case, the country's leading National Party was the accused.

In 2014 the party of former Prime Minister and Kim Dotcom nemesis John Key was sued for copyright infringement by Eminem's publisher Eight Mile Style. In an advertising spot for the General Election campaign, the party used a song heavily inspired by the track "Lose Yourself." A blatant copyright infringement, they argued.

This week the High Court agreed with the publisher ruling that the ad indeed infringed on their copyright. The National Party must now pay a total of $600,000 (415,000 USD) including damages and interest, NZ Herald reports.

Related: NSA Unlawfully Surveiled Megaupload Founder Kim Dotcom in New Zealand
Entire Kim Dotcom Spying Operation Was Illegal, New Zealand High Court Rules

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  • (Score: 5, Interesting) by c0lo on Friday October 27 2017, @06:57AM (8 children)

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Friday October 27 2017, @06:57AM (#588140) Journal

    If you want it as a separate story, feel free to promote it.

    Torrentfreak [torrentfreak.com]:

    Kim Dotcom Plots Hollywood Execs’ Downfall in Wake of Weinstein Scandal

    In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, Kim Dotcom is offering support to victims of similar abuse. The entrepreneur says he'll find funding for a class-action lawsuit exposing the crimes of high-ranking Hollywood executives....
    ...
    As the scandal continues and more victims come forward, there are signs of a general emboldening of women in Hollywood, some of whom are publicly speaking out about their own experiences. If that continues to gain momentum – and the opportunity is certainly there – one man with his own experiences of Hollywood’s wrath wants to play a prominent role.

    “Just the beginning. Sexual abuse and slavery by the Hollywood elites is as common as dirt. Tsunami,” Kim Dotcom wrote on Twitter.

    Dotcom initially suggested that via a website, victims of Hollywood abuse could share their stories anonymously, shining light on a topic that is often shrouded in fear and secrecy. But soon the idea was growing legs.

    “Looking for a Los Angeles law firm willing to represent hundreds of sexual abuse victims of Hollywood elites, pro-bono. I’ll find funding,” he said.

    Within hours, Dotcom announced that he’d found lawyers in the US who are willing to help victims, for free.

    “I had talks with Hollywood lawyers. Found a big law firm willing to represent sexual abuse victims, for free. Next, the website,” he teased.
    ...
    That being said, the Megaupload founder is extremely clear that framing this as revenge or a personal vendetta would be not only wrong, but also disrespectful to the victims of abuse.

    “I want to help victims because I’m a victim,” he told TorrentFreak.

    “I’m an abuse victim of Hollywood, not sexual abuse, but certainly abuse of power. It’s time to shine some light on those Hollywood elites who think they are above the law and untouchable.”

    Keep your popcorn ready, the headrolling may not stop at Harvey Weinstein.

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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by takyon on Friday October 27 2017, @07:24AM (5 children)

    by takyon (881) <takyonNO@SPAMsoylentnews.org> on Friday October 27 2017, @07:24AM (#588147) Journal

    Many Hollywood types have already been implicated by sexual harassment claims non-stop in the last couple of weeks without any help from Kim Dotcom. The #MeToo campaign is showing a lot of momentum.

    However, there might be some legal precedents set by such a case. Harvey Weinstein may have done his own stunts, but a lot of people cooperated to keep these matters hush-hush. Slap them with RICO [wikipedia.org].

    And when you start talking about RICO, you could see how a certain POTUS would want to get in on the fun and crush a few of his enemies.

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    • (Score: 3, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 27 2017, @08:37AM (3 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 27 2017, @08:37AM (#588156)

      Many Hollywood types have already been implicated by sexual harassment claims non-stop

      when you start talking about RICO, you could see how a certain POTUS would want to get in on the fun and crush a few of his enemies.

      Which POTUS? The one who "grabbed them by the pussy"?

      This one?
      https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/23/donald-trump-sexual-harassment-accusers-harvey-weinstein [theguardian.com]

      I've had some fun with some Trump supporters who were getting on the bandwagon pillorying Weinstein. Quite amusing after they realize their favorite President is about as "innocent" as Weinstein on such matters ;).

      • (Score: 3, Interesting) by takyon on Friday October 27 2017, @09:00AM (2 children)

        by takyon (881) <takyonNO@SPAMsoylentnews.org> on Friday October 27 2017, @09:00AM (#588160) Journal

        Trump was The One That Got Away (with grabbing the pussy).

        He even dodged news of his association with Jeffrey [thedailybeast.com] Epstein [nationalreview.com] (along with Bill).

        If any woman was going to come out with a credible/provable/damaging harassment or rape claim against Trump, they would have done it before he was elected. And they did [newsweek.com], to no effect.

        All or almost all of Trump's sexual baggage is out in the open. Maybe he will use the FBI and DoJ to arrest and imprison dissenting Hollywood Democrats.

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    • (Score: 3, Informative) by c0lo on Friday October 27 2017, @11:49AM

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Friday October 27 2017, @11:49AM (#588183) Journal

      Many Hollywood types have already been implicated by sexual harassment claims non-stop in the last couple of weeks without any help from Kim Dotcom.

      Claims is something. Pro-bono legal support of those claims in court raises the game to a new level, me thinks.

      but a lot of people cooperated to keep these matters hush-hush. Slap them with RICO

      IANAL, but conspiracy may not be enough for RICO, one needs to demonstrate racketeering (which is about extorted money)
      The LAPD case [wikipedia.org]:

      However, in July 2001, U.S. District Judge Gary A. Feess said that the plaintiffs do not have standing to sue the LAPD under RICO because they are alleging personal injuries, rather than economic or property damage.

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford

  • (Score: 2, Flamebait) by kurenai.tsubasa on Friday October 27 2017, @01:55PM

    by kurenai.tsubasa (5227) on Friday October 27 2017, @01:55PM (#588222) Journal

    It seems that MotU are starting to move away from the misogynerd narrative. Been quiet lately in the media. Of course the local feminists are still wild about the misogynerd narrative, but they were pushing the general viewpoint of the misogynerd narrative before it was cool.

    Anyway, these popped up on Google News for me:

    Mark Halperin, a Top Political Journalist, Faces Multiple Claims of Harassment [nytimes.com]

    Rachel McAdams and Selma Blair Say Director James Toback Sexually Harassed Them: 'That Man Is Vile' [people.com]

    I can hope that maybe at least some feminists have realized that going after actual sleazeballs, men with power who routinely objectify women, might be just a tad more productive, assuming feminism has any values any more and isn't just dead-set on one-upping the alt-right at bigotry and stupidity.

  • (Score: 2) by darkfeline on Friday October 27 2017, @07:14PM

    by darkfeline (1030) on Friday October 27 2017, @07:14PM (#588372) Homepage

    I guess that explains the casting couch meme.

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