Policy Advocacy

Our latest work on media policy and intellectual property policy.

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New Media Rights’ latest blog post for Forbes is all about defamation and what you should know before you decide to pursue a claim. Whether you own a business or have an active online presence, a hurtful statement can have disastrous and far-reaching effects. But just because someone said something mean doesn’t mean it’s illegal.

“Yes, it is true that our society places a significant value in freedom of speech, but there is a point, however, where statements normally protected under free speech cross into the realm of defamation. So the first step is recognizing what defamation looks like.”

New Media Rights has advocated for net neutrality for nearly a decade through comments (our most recent comments defending net neutrality were submitted last summer) and our work with the Consumer Advisory Committee at the Federal Communications Commission. While the FCC repealed net neutrality protections in December, the fight to preserve a free and open internet does not end with the federal government. A number of states have recently introduced legislation to ensure that net neutrality protections survive, and in California, it has taken the form of a handful of bills that would offer comprehensive protection.

Today, New Media Rights sent a letter to senators Ben Hueso and Mike Morrell, the chair and vice-chair of the California Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Communications urging them to support SB 822.

Executive Director Art Neill and New Media Rights Fellow Erika Lee will discuss the basics of intellectual property at the San Diego City College on Tuesday, May 1 at 6pm! Come join us! The event is free and open to the public.

New Media Rights latest multi-part series for Forbes is all about enforcing your intellectual property rights responsibly. There are many types of legal disputes that you might encounter when you own intellectual property. While there is no definitive formula to solving every type of legal dispute, there are things you can keep in mind the next time you find yourself in a bind.

The first part of the series addresses copyright disputes, and breaks down some of the do’s and don’ts of handling infringement effectively. Often copyright owners don’t know what to do when they believe that someone is infringing on their work.

We are excited to announce that New Media Rights has been invited to participate in the DuckDuckGo Privacy Challenge. Generous sponsors are matching any donations to New Media Rights up to $7 for every $1 today. That's not a typo! Your $20 donation would, during some weeks, give us the equivalent of $140. Click here to donate here in any amount. Being invited shines a spotlight on our goals in the privacy realm...

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It's Fair Use Week 2018 this week, but every week is Fair Use Week for New Media Rights, because everyday we fight for artists and innovators against legal bullies who don’t respect fair use. 
 
Fair use is the vehicle millions of individuals use to exercise their freedom of expression every day. That's why this week, we'll be highlighting why fair use is important to creators and what New Media Rights is doing and has done to support it.
 
So what is fair use and why is it so important?