UPDATE: Judge strikes Righthaven website domain demand
One year ago, U.S. newspapers and broadcasters could feel confident they controlled the news content they created.
It was understood that competing and special-interest websites couldn't appropriate that content and post it without authorization.
When such infringements occurred, they were dealt with swiftly and effectively with a simple phone call or email.
Infringing websites typically had re-posted material out of ignorance they were violating the Copyright Act and agreed to remove the material or replace it with a link to the source newspaper or broadcaster.
Then along came Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas, the self-appointed protector of the newspaper industry from such news sharers.
Some 250 Righthaven lawsuits later, Righthaven's startling achievement is that newspapers now have less — not more — protection from copyright infringers.
Read our former stories on this subject:
Legal attack dog sicked on websites accused of violating R-J copyrights
Copyright Extortionist Righthaven Sues Drudge
Righthaven appeals loss of "fair-use" ruling, settles with Drudge