July 2010 Newsletter

 We have reached the halfway mark in 2010, and already New Media Rights has helped a huge variety of creators and internet users. We have assisted individuals with DMCA takedowns, copyright law, terms of use agreements, creative commons licenses, filesharing questions, and so much more.

As always, if you would like assistance with your rights when using the internet, social media, or starting your own web service, its free! Just fill out our online form or call us at (619) 591-8870.

Remember, we are here to help you with questions about your legal rights online and we offer free studio space, an editing computer and studio equipment, so contact us today to utilize these services! 

Please keep in mind that the assistance we provide is supported from donations by individuals like you, so please consider donating to us.  Small to large donations are very much appreciated.

Here's the latest:  
 

Spotlight:

• New Media Rights has partnered with Mozilla Foundation on their Drumbeat initative to create a Drumbeat San Diego event. We are seeking input from organizations and individuals interested in being part of an event that brings San Diego's creative, technology, and activist communities together.  The event will be a problem solving, participatory, DIY gathering focused on bringing these groups together around common issues and shared goals, including an open internet, creative commons, and fair use, among other topics.  Follow this link to submit your name and let us know you're interested in this event!  Also shoot us an email or give us a call if you are interested in attending our first planning meeting.

• How to find Creative Commons images on Flickr This is our newest screencast, a simple explanation of how to find Creative Commons images that you can reuse in your own blogs, videos, or other creative works!

• We were invited and named as a participating attorney in subpoena defense efforts for US copyright litigation efforts surrounding "John Doe" Bittorrent defendants.

Media policy advocacy: While we pride ourselves on giving individuals real, comprehensive assistance with their problems on a one-to-one basis, we use our experience in those efforts to assist and inform policymakers at the state and national level.  Here's some of our latest efforts!

• Check out New Media Rights' FCC comments on the Broadband Legal Framework and the "Third Way": this proceeding is critical to the future of how the internet is regulated.  For the latest on Net Neutrality, Title 2 reclassification and an open internet distilled, you can also read our Citizen's Update to Net Neutrality and an Open Internet

• New Media Rights Joins The Coalition for Competition in Media: We have joined with a variety of public interest and private organizations to oppose the proposed Comcast-NBC merger.  You can read the latest on the goals of the coalition and collaborating organizations at the link above. New Media Rights is committed to ensuring consumers have diversity, access, and lower rates, which we believe this merger will not provide.

•   We shared the highlights with you on the Comcast NBC merger hearing in LA.
  

• We also gave you a wrap-up on the recent Stanford FCC hearing on media diversity.
  

Featured Posts:

• Bros Icing Bros- A Case for Copyright Bullying by Overreacting Smirnoff Lawyers.
  

• Sue Wilson, award winning filmmaker and journalist, shared her views on our site about Communications Act reform in the article "Communications Redux- Hooray!"
  

Ways YOU can get involved ! :

Some helpful ways you can stay involved are :

- Give us a shoutout on twitter, facebook, your own blog or website, or other social media

- Comment on the New Media Rights website and social media presences.

- Share news and links with us as you come upon them

- Take part in events (we are working with Mozilla to host a Drumbeat / New Media Rights event in SD this fall)

- Suggest new resources, projects, and advocacy efforts for us to participate in

- We are always open to publishing blogs written on new media topics (you can submit those to support@newmediarights.org), and there are volunteer opportunities as well, some of which can be done remotely.