If you dance, you may be sued now...

**Guru** · 02-20-2007, 01:28 PM

This is laughable...

'Electric Slide' on slippery DMCA slope
By Daniel Terdiman, Staff Writer, CNET News.com
1 | 2 | Next >

The inventor of the "Electric Slide," an iconic dance created in 1976, is fighting back against what he believes are copyright violations and, more importantly, examples of bad dancing.

Kyle Machulis, an engineer at San Francisco's Linden Lab, said he received a Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown notice about a video he had shot at a recent convention showing three people doing the Electric Slide.

"The creator of the Electric Slide claims to hold a copyright on the dance and is DMCAing every single video on YouTube" that references the dance, Machulis said. He's also sent licensing demands to The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Machulis added.

Indeed, Richard Silver, who filed the copyright for the Electric Slide in 2004, said on one of his Web pages that the DeGeneres Show had been putting up a legal fight as he tried to get compensation for a segment that aired in February 2006 in which actress Teri Hatcher and other dancers performed the popular wedding shuffle.

____________________________________________________

Sound Off: Can you be sued for doing the 'Electric Slide' wrong?

____________________________________________________

The 1998 Digital Millenium Copyright Act governs copyright infringement as well as technology whose purpose is to circumvent measures intended to protect copyrights. Under the DMCA, rights-holders can complain to services like YouTube that content uploaded by users infringes their copyrights.

Silver did not respond to an e-mail sent Friday asking for comment and did not answer several phone calls to his Groton, Conn., home. A representative for the DeGeneres Show declined to comment.

But on the YouTube page Silver himself posted showing the Electric Slide, he wrote, "Any video that shows my choreography being done incorrectly is being removed. I don't want future generations having to learn it wrong and then relearn it as I am being faced with now because of certain sites and (people) that have been teaching it incorrectly and without my permission. That's the reason I (copyrighted) it in the first place."

YouTube has been dealing with a slew of DMCA takedown claims recently. Viacom on Friday demanded the service remove a hundred thousand videos it claimed infringed its copyrights.

Some may find it odd that a dance could be copyrightable, of course. But according to Jason Schultz, a staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, dance moves can definitely be protected under copyright law.

"You can copyright the choreography for dances," said Schultz, "and then enforce the copyright against anyone who publicly performs the dance."

Does that mean that everyone who giggles their way through the Electric Slide with the wedding videographer shooting away is violating copyright? No, but the videographer could be at risk. But Schultz said he believes Silver's claims against Machulis and others who have posted videos on YouTube may be questionable.

"Someone who performs it noncommercially or adds their own artistic flair to the dance has a pretty good fair-use argument that their performance is noninfringing," Schultz said.

Because there are only about 20 seconds of actual footage of people doing the Electric Slide out of Machulis' nearly five-minute video, Silver's claim may be on shaky ground, Schultz said.

"Here, it's such a small piece of the video, and such a small piece of the dance (that) I think if (Silver brought) a copyright lawsuit, he would lose," he said.

Ultra Peanut · 02-20-2007, 01:30 PM

We can dance if we want to.

Thig Lyfe · 02-20-2007, 01:31 PM

That's just ****ing ridiculous.

Sully · 02-20-2007, 01:32 PM

If you don't dance, then you're no friend of mine.

Ultra Peanut · 02-20-2007, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SportsRacer

That's just ****ing ridiculous.

THAT IS NOT HOW THE MOTHER****ING SONG GOES NOW GET IT RIGHT OR PAY THE PRICE

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sully

If you don't dance, then you're no friend of mine.

Better.

**Guru** · 02-20-2007, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

We can dance if we want to.

"Because of friends don't dance then their no friends of mine."

Rooster · 02-20-2007, 01:33 PM

I think I will rent 'Footloose' tonight.

JBucc · 02-20-2007, 01:33 PM

I sense thousands of shitty electric slide videos being uploaded as we type.

Sully · 02-20-2007, 01:35 PM

You can dance, you can jive.

Having the time of your life.

**noa** · 02-20-2007, 01:35 PM

I got sued for doing the macarena, but I deserved it.

Sully · 02-20-2007, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noa949

I got sued for doing the macarena, but I deserved it.

You may get sued again for admitting it.

kepp · 02-20-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sully

If you don't dance, then you're no friend of mine.

S

greg63 · 02-20-2007, 01:48 PM

The little old lady who burnt her mouth on McDonnalds coffee thinks they have a case.

Ultra Peanut · 02-20-2007, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noa949

I got sued for doing the macarena, but I deserved it.

I think that was less the macarena, and more the nudity. And the pre-school.

Mile High Mania · 02-20-2007, 02:08 PM

Hmmm, could someone like Elway (or pick your HOF QB) file for a patent on the perfect football pass... and then sue someone every time they throw a pick or bad pass? I say go for it.

Who threw the first hail mary pass? That guy needs to file for a patent.

02-20-2007, 01:28 PM
Guru BANNED Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Middle of the USA Casino cash: $55082641	If you dance, you may be sued now... This is laughable... 'Electric Slide' on slippery DMCA slope By Daniel Terdiman, Staff Writer, CNET News.com 1 \| 2 \| Next > The inventor of the "Electric Slide," an iconic dance created in 1976, is fighting back against what he believes are copyright violations and, more importantly, examples of bad dancing. Kyle Machulis, an engineer at San Francisco's Linden Lab, said he received a Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown notice about a video he had shot at a recent convention showing three people doing the Electric Slide. "The creator of the Electric Slide claims to hold a copyright on the dance and is DMCAing every single video on YouTube" that references the dance, Machulis said. He's also sent licensing demands to The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Machulis added. Indeed, Richard Silver, who filed the copyright for the Electric Slide in 2004, said on one of his Web pages that the DeGeneres Show had been putting up a legal fight as he tried to get compensation for a segment that aired in February 2006 in which actress Teri Hatcher and other dancers performed the popular wedding shuffle. ____________________________________________________ Sound Off: Can you be sued for doing the 'Electric Slide' wrong? ____________________________________________________ The 1998 Digital Millenium Copyright Act governs copyright infringement as well as technology whose purpose is to circumvent measures intended to protect copyrights. Under the DMCA, rights-holders can complain to services like YouTube that content uploaded by users infringes their copyrights. Silver did not respond to an e-mail sent Friday asking for comment and did not answer several phone calls to his Groton, Conn., home. A representative for the DeGeneres Show declined to comment. But on the YouTube page Silver himself posted showing the Electric Slide, he wrote, "Any video that shows my choreography being done incorrectly is being removed. I don't want future generations having to learn it wrong and then relearn it as I am being faced with now because of certain sites and (people) that have been teaching it incorrectly and without my permission. That's the reason I (copyrighted) it in the first place." YouTube has been dealing with a slew of DMCA takedown claims recently. Viacom on Friday demanded the service remove a hundred thousand videos it claimed infringed its copyrights. Some may find it odd that a dance could be copyrightable, of course. But according to Jason Schultz, a staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, dance moves can definitely be protected under copyright law. "You can copyright the choreography for dances," said Schultz, "and then enforce the copyright against anyone who publicly performs the dance." Does that mean that everyone who giggles their way through the Electric Slide with the wedding videographer shooting away is violating copyright? No, but the videographer could be at risk. But Schultz said he believes Silver's claims against Machulis and others who have posted videos on YouTube may be questionable. "Someone who performs it noncommercially or adds their own artistic flair to the dance has a pretty good fair-use argument that their performance is noninfringing," Schultz said. Because there are only about 20 seconds of actual footage of people doing the Electric Slide out of Machulis' nearly five-minute video, Silver's claim may be on shaky ground, Schultz said. "Here, it's such a small piece of the video, and such a small piece of the dance (that) I think if (Silver brought) a copyright lawsuit, he would lose," he said.
Posts: 47,773

02-20-2007, 01:30 PM	#2
Ultra Peanut The Realest Sport Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: University of Jah Casino cash: $174717	We can dance if we want to. __________________
Posts: 39,326

02-20-2007, 01:31 PM	#3
Thig Lyfe R.I.P HOPE 2008-2009 Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: America Casino cash: $529404	That's just ****ing ridiculous. __________________ Matt Cassel sucks and I'm great!
Posts: 24,409

02-20-2007, 01:32 PM	#4
Sully Good Merlinpeen to all!!! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lees Summit Casino cash: $26802	If you don't dance, then you're no friend of mine. __________________ "Let's all get the same girl pregnant, tonight!"
Posts: 12,230

02-20-2007, 01:33 PM	#7
Rooster Draft a QB Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wichita, KS Casino cash: $39724	I think I will rent 'Footloose' tonight. __________________ When Reno Hightower was a prick he was the best damn quarterback in the history of Kern County.
Posts: 4,808

02-20-2007, 01:33 PM	#8
JBucc MVP Join Date: Oct 2005 Casino cash: $13531	I sense thousands of shitty electric slide videos being uploaded as we type.
Posts: 12,009

02-20-2007, 01:35 PM	#9
Sully Good Merlinpeen to all!!! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lees Summit Casino cash: $26802	You can dance, you can jive. Having the time of your life. __________________ "Let's all get the same girl pregnant, tonight!"
Posts: 12,230

02-20-2007, 01:35 PM	#10
noa Band Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $50935	I got sued for doing the macarena, but I deserved it. __________________ Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes, well, he eats you.
Posts: 7,849

02-20-2007, 01:48 PM	#13
greg63 Homer go crazy!!! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: SE Kansas Casino cash: $13497	The little old lady who burnt her mouth on McDonnalds coffee thinks they have a case. __________________
Posts: 16,944

02-20-2007, 02:08 PM	#15
Mile High Mania Barrel Man - RIP Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Tejas Casino cash: $67768	Hmmm, could someone like Elway (or pick your HOF QB) file for a patent on the perfect football pass... and then sue someone every time they throw a pick or bad pass? I say go for it. Who threw the first hail mary pass? That guy needs to file for a patent. __________________
Posts: 18,382

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