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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Fine, Gross, Kerr and Sissay join SoA council

Anne Fine, Philip Gross, Judith Kerr and Lemn Sissay have all joined the Society of Authors as new council members.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BISG's Making Information Pay Highlights Print, Audiobook Resurgence

At the Book Industry Study Group's Making Information Pay conference NPD BookScan revealed that in 2016 hardcovers outsold ebooks for the first time in five years, while audiobooks now account for $1.77 billion in sales. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sunjeev Sahota honoured by EU Prize for Literature

Sunjeev Sahota, author of the Man Booker Prize-shortlisted Year of the Runaways (Picador), is one of 12 authors honoured by the 2017 European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers welcome PRH pledge to pay work experience participants

Other publishers have welcomed Penguin Random House's new stance on paying work experience participants, after it pledged to pay the National Living Wage to 450 candidates every year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nat Geo teams up with Mashable, theSkimm and others for new digital venture

Nat Geo is bringing together digital publishers and adventure-seekers to create social content -- and sell it to advertisers. The post Nat Geo teams up with Mashable, theSkimm and others for new digital venture appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PRH UK to pay work experience interns in diversity drive

Penguin Random House UK (PRH UK) will now pay its work experience participants the National Living Wage in a bid to make the publishing industry more accessible and diverse.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Orwell-inspired anthology raises funds as UK prepares to leave the EU

Unsung Stories is to publish 2084, a new collection of dystopian fiction featuring exclusive new stories from Christopher Priest, Lavie Tidhar, David Hutchinson and Jeff Noon, in July. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pearson chief Fallon awarded 20% pay rise depsite losses

Pearson c.e.o. John Fallon has been awarded a 20% total pay rise despite the fact the company made a £2.6bn loss in 2016.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pearson boss sees pay boost despite firm's struggles

The publisher's boss sees his pay package rise 20% in 2016 despite a difficult year for the firm. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2017-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Got writer's block? Lin-Manuel Miranda has a playlist for you

If you’re afflicted with writer's block, “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda doesn't want you throwing away your shot — and he's made a Spotify playlist to help you put pen to paper. The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright revealed his literary-themed playlist, titled "Write Your Way Out," on... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trade pays tribute to Morse author Colin Dexter

Figures from across the trade have paid tribute to Colin Dexter, author of the Inspector Morse novels, who died aged 86, at his home in Oxford. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publisher to host EU celebration night on day of Article 50 trigger

Canbury Press is to host a gala evening to "celebrate the contribution of Europeans to the UK" as prime minister Theresa May prepares to trigger Article 50. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Faber pays tribute to 'gentle giant' Derek Walcott

Nobel laureate prizewinning poet “gentle giant” Derek Walcott has died aged 87 at his home in St Lucia after a long illness. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hudson slams 'inhuman' May's EU dallying

DK c.e.o. Ian Hudson said UK Prime Minister Theresa May was “inhuman” for “playing with people’s lives” in her Brexit negotiations, while HarperCollins UK c.e.o. Charlie Redmayne said uncertainty around freedom of movement could hit businesses that use temporary workers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook and Twitter Could Face Fines in Germany Over Hate Speech Posts

A Facebook office in Berlin. A report published on Tuesday found that Facebook and Twitter had failed to meet a German target for removing hate speech from their platforms. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2017-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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MCB pays tribute to illustrator Jane Eccles

Macmillan Children's Books has paid tribute to “much-loved” illustrator Jane Eccles who passed away on Monday (27th February). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Digital TV Players Eye Blockchain to Block Facebook, Google

Advertisers and publishers could get help from Bitcoin technology.The idea of using blockchain to handle digital ad transactions is starting to seep into the conversation among advertisers, digital publishers and ad tech vendors. Blockchain is the technology behind Bitcoin; it supports the... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2017-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Westchester walks a fine line in upset of No. 2 Fairfax

It was the weekend for upsets in high school basketball, and Westchester did its part on Saturday night, knocking off No. 2-seeded Fairfax, 66-59, in the City Section Open Division semifinals at Roybal High. It came a day after the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, Chatsworth Sierra Canyon and Chino Hills,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook must pay $500 million in damages in Oculus intellectual property case

Facebook is on the hook for $500 million in damages after losing an intellectual property lawsuit Wednesday to ZeniMax Media over its virtual reality headset, the Oculus Rift. ZeniMax, a video game publisher, sued the social network in 2014 in U.S. District Court in Dallas shortly after Facebook... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook stops paying publishers to stream live video

For a while, Facebook was obsessed with live video -- it even paid publishers to make sure there was a steady flow of professionally-shot streams on offer. However, Zuckerberg and company appear to be tempering their enthusiasm a little bit. Recode s... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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