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 ]
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Amazon.com’s ebook distribution deals are coming under close scrutiny from the European Commission, which has begun a formal antitrust investigation into the company’s contracts with publishers.The probe will focus on clauses in Amazon’s contracts that require publishers to tell the company... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2015-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The European Union's anti-antitrust crusade continues with an investigation into Amazon's ebook distribution deals. The post Amazon’s European Woes Continue With New EU Investigation appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2015-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In Madrid, several top ebook distributors meet to discuss mutual challenges in book publishing and the possibility of a common European digital market. The post Ebook Distributors Meet to Discuss Common EU Digital Market appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The move continues a trend of cracking down on the operations of major tech companies in Europe.In recent months, European regulators increasingly have been scrutinizing the practices of U.S. tech giants that dominate their respective industries, focusing their investigatory efforts on Amazon,... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2015-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Since Time Inc. became an indepedent publicly traded company last June, executives at the nation's large magazine publisher have tried to convince Wall Street investors that it's quickly transforming into a digital-first media company. It's certainly made strides, introducing video series,... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2015-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Online piracy is usually associated with music, movies, and software. But the ever-growing popularity of ereaders such as the Amazon Kindle has also led to a burgeoning ebook piracy scene. The UK has been trying to clamp down on piracy recently, and the latest target is a raft of sites offering... Continue reading at Betanews
[ Betanews | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The High Court has granted an application by the Publishers Association (PA) to block access to seven websites which have been infringing copyright. The application, made under 97A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, means that the UK's main internet service providers (ISPs) - BT,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In a major victory for book publishers, the UK's High Court has ordered internet service providers (ISPs) to block several sites offering pirated ebooks. The decision means that BT, Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk and EE now have 10 days to comply and e... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The UK's biggest broadband providers will shortly start blocking seven of the most popular websites used by eBook pirates. Continue reading at BBC World
[ BBC World | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon has begun fining publishers for late deliveries of books to its warehouses. Meanwhile, some payments to publishers have been delayed by what the company referred to as a “technical error”. The e-commerce giant has written to suppliers warning that if they do not hit delivery targets,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Using location-based wireless technology, S&S is offering a complimentary selection of full-text frontlist titles to visitors at airports, hotels and museums around the country. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tributes have been paid from across the trade to crime writer Ruth Rendell, described as an “insightful and elegant observer of society”. Rendell died on Saturday (2nd May) at the age of 85. She had been admitted to hospital in January after suffering a critical stroke. The writer, who was... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mark Smith at Zaffre, the new adult fiction imprint at Bonnier Publishing, has sold US rights for L S Hilton's Maestra in a seven-figure pre-empt to Putnam. Maestra is the first of three psychological thrillers set in the art world, and has already been optioned by Columbia Pictures for a film... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Founded in 1964, the store now occupies 6,000 square feet in Lincoln Hall, an historic storefront in the town. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Last year’s remuneration for the Scotsman and Yorkshire Post publisher’s chief executive was more than three times that of the previous yearAshley Highfield, chief executive of Johnston Press, a regional newspaper publisher, received a £1.65m pay last year, including a £645,000 bonus.Highfield’s... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Mexican cuisine guru talks his latest cookbook, 'More Mexican Everyday,' and shares his go-to recipe for celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A global piracy ring has been found guilty in a US federal court of intentionally infringing copyright, sharing copies of books from up to 16,000 international publishers. The maximum damages allowed under US law - $37.5m – were awarded. The case of Elsevier Inc v Victor Kozlov and Pavel... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When the managers of indie giants Garbage asked photographer Pat Pope to use his pictures for no fee, he made a standA professional photographer for more than 20 years, and published in Q, Melody Maker and Rolling Stone, Pat Pope has worked with many of the biggest names in pop and rock music,... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nazi minister’s estate sues Random House Germany and imprint Siedler over the use of extracts from his diariesThe estate of Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler’s minister of propaganda, is taking legal action against the publisher Random House over a new biography, claiming payment for the use of... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Irish author Donal Ryan, whose debut The Spinning Heart (Doubleday Ireland) won the 2013 Guardian First Book Award, is among the winners of the 2015 European Union Prize for Literature. The 12 winning authors from across Europe were announced today (14th April) at the Opening Ceremony of the... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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