Valve fails to get out of paying its EU geo-blocking fine

Valve has failed to convince a court that it didn't infringe EU law by geo-blocking activation keys, according to a new ruling. The company argued that, based on copyright law, publishers had the right to charge different prices for games in different countries. However, the EU General Court confirmed that its geo-blocking actions "infringed EU competition law"and that copyright law didn't apply."Copyright is intended only to ensure for the right holders concerned protection of the right to exploit commercially the marketing or the making available of the protected subject matter, by the grant of licences in return for payment of remuneration," it wrote in a statement. "However, it does not guarantee them the opportunity to demand the highest possible remuneration or to engage in conduct such as to lead to artificial price differences between the partitioned national markets."The original charges centered around activation keys. The commission said Valve and five publishers (Bandai Namco, Capcom, Focus Home, Koch Media and ZeniMax) agreed to use geo-blocking so that activation keys sold in some countries — like Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary and Latvia — would not work in other member states. That would prevent someone in, say, Germany buying a cheaper key in Latvia, where prices are lower. However, doing so violates the EU's Digital Single Market rules, which enforces an open market across the EU. The five developers were given a reduced fine of €7.8 million (over $9.4... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2023-09-27 12:20:53 UTC ]
News tagged with: #koch media #zenimax agreed #czech republic #member states #germany buying #cheaper key #open market #reduced fine #full €1 #locking keys #region locks #local laws #original €1 #ten days #copyright law

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Boisterous crowd blocks roadway in Fairfax area during memorial for slain rapper XXXTentacion

An impromptu memorial for the slain rapper XXXTentacion turned rowdy Tuesday night as hundreds of people gathered in the street in the Fairfax area, with some climbing onto rooftops and swarming moving cars as police ordered them to disperse. At its peak, the event drew up to 1,000 people to... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fairfax area


EU-funded Transbook project commits to UK post-Brexit

The director of an EU-wide children’s literature project has said Europe must continue to work with the UK after Brexit. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Romance writer's bid to stop authors from using word 'cocky' fails in court

Self-published author Faleena Hopkins asserted her right to the word, but judge calls attempt to stop other authors using it ‘weak’ Romance writers around the world can breathe a sigh of relief after a US court ruled that they can continue to use the adjective “cocky” in their book titles, after... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book titles #trademark office #individual titles #common words


Weekly E-Ranking: Eleanor Oliphant is no longer Completely Fine

And with that, the Honeyman is over. Peter James’ Dead If You Don’t has ended Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’s record run in the Weekly E-Ranking number one spot, becoming the first new number one in the ebook chart since the second week of February. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers urge government on ebook VAT ahead of crunch EU meeting

Publishers are urging the UK government to support measures that would allow VAT to be removed on ebooks, audiobooks and online newspaper and magazine subscriptions in the UK. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #uk government #support measures #online newspaper #magazine subscriptions


'Fine mind and right skills blend' won Bowler Faber post

Alex Bowler's "fine and curious mind", and the mix of skills he brought from his previous roles at both Jonathan Cape and Granta, together won him the coveted Faber publisher post, chief executive Stephen Page has said. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #alex bowler #jonathan cape


Vintage pays tribute to literary giant Philip Roth

Vintage has paid tribute to Pulitzer Prize and Man Booker International Prize-winning author Philip Roth as "one the greatest American novelists of the 20th century” following his death at the age of 85. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #paid tribute #pulitzer prize #20th century


Spotify to pay out $112m in royalties to songwriters after settlement

The streaming company will recompense songwriters not paid enough royalties, but one unhappy music publisher claims ruling is ‘a free pass on wilful infringement’Spotify will pay out $112m (£83.5m) in a settlement agreement, following two lawsuits that claimed songwriters hadn’t been paid enough... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #settlement agreement #free pass #class action


In Europe, They Actually Fine and Jail Misbehaving CEOs. Why Can’t We?

The FT today published a fascinating interview with Thomas Middelhoff, the former CEO of Bertelsmann, the German media giant. Middelhoff became a star during the dot-com boom—his $50 million investment in AOL became a $7 billion exit five years later—and then his star fell. Middelhoff ended up... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2018-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #found guilty #tax evasion


The artist, evolving and then fully formed in Nat Geo's ‘Genius: Picasso,’ starring Antonio Banderas

For the second season of their National Geographic Channel anthology series "Genius," showrunner Ken Biller and producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer turn their attention from Albert Einstein to Pablo Picasso. It's a fairly diverting if not really a convincing piece, slight and sometimes silly... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pablo picasso #fully formed #nat geo #albert einstein


Quick Reads scrapped for 2019 after sponsor search fails

The adult literacy campaign Quick Reads is wrapping up after 12 years due to lack of funding, The Bookseller can reveal. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #booksellercan reveal


German supreme court rejects ad-block challenge

Publishing giant Axel Springer has lost a long-running case seeking to limit the use of Adblock Plus. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2018-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Report finds £23k 'class pay gap' in publishing

A report slamming representation in the arts has highlighted a "class pay gap" in publishing of up to £23,000 a year and found that people of working class origins make up just 12.6% of the sector. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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MLS Not Required: After Contentious Debate, ALA Ballot Measure Fails

The Week in Libraries, April 13, 2018—Among this week's headlines: No MLS required for the next ALA boss; Wanda Brown wins ALA presidency. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #contentious debate


Pay What You Want For The 2018 Arduino Enthusiast E-Book Bundle

Thanks to its simple and accessible user experience, Arduino has been used in thousands of different projects and applications. The Arduino software is easy-to-use for beginners, yet flexible enough for advanced users.The 2018 Arduino Enthusiast E-Book Bundle is a collection of 10 publications... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2018-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shelley: industry has 'real problem' on gender pay

No one in publishing can “feel smug” about the issue of gender pay, Hachette c.e.o. David Shelley has said, while urging publishers to also consider intersectionality and unconscious bias when discussing issues of diversity and inclusion. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #david shelley #real problem #gender pay #urging publishers #unconscious bias


Are We Headed for a Pay-for-Privacy World?

The Week in Libraries: April 6, 2018: Among this week's headlines, Apple and Facebook weigh in on your privacy; Librarians weigh in on the 2020 Census; And via Twitter, a mystery in a Scottish library. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Men dominate trade’s senior positions, pay gap data shows

The book trade has wrestled with its gender pay gap revelations this week, with the overall trend emerging that despite women forming more of the workforce in companies across the sector, it is men who dominate the most senior positions and attract the highest pay and bonuses. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Over 80% of staff concerned about trade’s gender pay gap

An overwhelming 84% of people responding to a Bookseller survey have revealed that they are concerned by their company’s gender pay gap report, with just over half dissatisfied with their firm’s plans to tackle it. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #staff concerned #bookseller survey


Time for action on pay

Lis Tribe on why publishers need to use their gender pay gap statistics to build a better industry for everyone. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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