6/27 "We hold that one who distributes a device with the object of promoting
its use to infringe copyright, as shown by the clear expression or
other affirmative steps taken to foster infringement, is liable for the
resulting acts of infringement by third parties." --Justice Souter
This would seem to be a fairly narrow ruling that doesn't overturn the
Betamax case - i.e., Apple will not be sued by the record companies for
the iPod, and Berkeley will not be sued for inventing FTP (okay, absurd
example, but this is the record industry we're talking about...)
\_ Depends on how "promoting its use to infringe copyright" is
interpreted next time around. -John |