NYC LOCAL: Friday 26 October 2007 Viacom vs Google Federal Copyright Case

[secretary]

I resend a notice from Fred Benenson, head of NYU Free Culture
Club.  The notice of this important action at law is appended.

Personal Note:

Listening to and seeing such a case argued before a judge is
seldom boring.  If you go you will likely be astonished at more
than one thing.

Appearing at court to listen, and to learn, is important.  It is
also important that we show up so that the other side knows that
we will not lose this engagement by default.  Speak to reporters.
Reporters are usually intelligent and usually want to learn, but
often they are remarkably ignorant.  A careful clarity of
expression, and a gentle stroking of the flanks, will sometimes
loosen a bit the grip of The Official Story on the mind of the
reporter.

Jay Sulzberger <secretary@lxny.org>
Corresponding Secretary LXNY
LXNY is New York's Free Computing Organization.
http://www.lxny.org


<blockquote
  what="notice of time and date of court action">

 Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 17:53:59 -0400
 From: "Fred Benenson" <frederick@nyu.edu>
 Sender: fred.benenson@gmail.com
 To: "Free Culture @ NYU's list serv" <free-culture@lists.nyu.edu>
 Subject: [free-culture] Google v. Viacom Tomorrow
 Reply-To: "Fred Benenson" <frederick@nyu.edu>

 Free Culture @ NYU,

 So one of the benefits of living in a self-proclaimed democracy
 is that at least some of the court trials are mostly open to the
 public. That means that when Viacom sues Google for ONE BILLION
 DOLLARS over YouTube's "infinite amount of infringement" we're
 allowed to sit in on all the court room antics.

 I attended the first (and last, as far as I can tell) hearing and
 it was a scheduling hearing. Despite a stern warning from my
 lawyer friends that the hearing would be immensely boring, I
 really enjoyed it. The two sides ended up getting into their
 arguments in a very inappropriate and entertaining way.

 Now, I have no idea whether tomorrow will have the same kind of
 fireworks, but I am certainly intending on being there. There
 were mostly reporters and lawyers (especially one lawyer who kept
 on sneering when Google would say stuff like "How are we supposed
 to take responsibility for an 'infinite amount of
 infringement?'") last time and I felt a little out of place with
 a t-shirt, so you might consider wearing something nice if you
 don't want to feel awkward.

 Anyway, here's the information:

 Google v. Viacom <http://news.justia.com/cases/337988/>
 4pm, Friday October 26th 2007
 Room 21C
 Judge Louis L. Stanton
 United States Courthouse
 500 Pearl 
Street<http://www.justia.com/us-states/new-york/courts/southern/district_court/main-office.html>
 New York, NY 10007-1312*Phone:* 212-805-0136

 If anyone wants to meet up, I'll be outside (or maybe in the lobby if its
 really going to rain) around 3:30.


 Best,

 Fred Benenson
 President, Free Culture @ NYU
  
</blockquote>