Legal Issues
What happens if the Anthropic AI training lawsuit proceeds as class action?
AI advocates argue that class certification could potentially force a settlement that could cripple both the company and the broader AI sector.
The authors of 7 million works used to train AI are now part of the Anthropic case
The judge has now ruled that the case can move forward as a class action, with a trial scheduled for December to determine damages.
Anthropic files for appeal in the AI copyright case
The appeal cites the other AI case, the one against Meta, where a judge ruled that training on pirated works might be considered fair.
Two Court Rulings on AI: Neither Gives Authors What They Want, But There’s Still a Long Road Ahead
While the same issue lies at the heart of both cases and both judges found in favor of AI companies, the rulings are quite different from one another.
Authors Guild files class-action lawsuit against the National Endowment for the Humanities
In early April, the NEH terminated grants already approved and in-progress in order to repurpose funds for President Trump’s agenda.
AI Made Me Want to Trademark My Name. Here’s How I Did It.
How one author protected her brand without hiring a lawyer. It just takes time, patience, and a few hundred dollars.
Here we go again: about that database of works used to train AI
The two year old story is making headlines again, except this time with a focus on the notorious LibGen database.
Public Domain Day
Here are a few of the notable literary works hitting the public domain on January 1, 2025.
The Crave Series Copyright Case: Interesting for Many Reasons except Copyright
The lawsuit raises questions about the author-agent relationship and book packaging.
Readers Respond: Counterfeits, Copies, and Fakes
Tips, caveats, and a look at how counterfeit authors skirt the rules to get ahead.
How to Write a Story Retelling
Retellings, like any genre, come with their own characteristics and conventions to honor the original text and meet reader expectations.
Like It or Not, Publishers Are Licensing Books for AI Training—And Using AI Themselves
Before long, every major publisher will be earning money from AI training, whether through collective licensing or directly with tech companies.
From Copyright to Labor Rights: Cory Doctorow on AI Challenges
Doctorow added nuance and case studies to his discussion of copyright law and the creative class.
Turn Fact Into Fiction—Without Hurting Someone or Getting Sued
Imagine a friend reveals a secret past so compelling that no novelist could resist turning it into fiction. Here’s how one author went about it.
What’s entering the public domain in the United States this year?
On Jan. 1, 2024, a new set of copyrighted works from 1928—and sound recordings from 1923—entered the public domain.
I Would Rather See My Books Get Pirated Than This (Or: Why Goodreads and Amazon Are Becoming Dumpster Fires)
Amazon and Goodreads must take steps to combat the flood of AI-generated content that will mislead readers and damage author reputations.
Copyright and AI: It’s Complicated
A key question to be answered, not all that simple: What constitutes human creation?
Internet Archive loses ebook lending case but plans to appeal
As widely expected, the Internet Archive has lost its case against publishers regarding its operation of the Open Library.
Manuscript thief sentenced to time served
The man who stole pre-publication manuscripts for his personal reading pleasure for several years was sentenced to time served.
How Can I Avoid Lawsuits When Writing Memoir?
Even lesser-known authors can experience legal issues if they don’t perform their due diligence while writing and revising their books.
The Department of Justice sues Google on antitrust grounds
The DOJ is attempting to break up Google’s advertising business, which dominates supply and demand in the ad tech market.
Notes on 2023 Digital Book World, Part Two
BookBub, Open Road Media, and Ingram all offered presentations on selling books via email advertising.
Canada extends copyright protection by 20 years
At the end of 2022, Canada changed its copyright laws so that books, songs, and plays will enjoy an additional 20 years of copyright protection.
What’s entering the public domain this year?
This year, works published in 1923 enter the public domain.
FBI seizes one of the largest sites for pirated work
The site is known as Z-Library, and it was especially popular among TikTok users.
