Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Latest

Internet Archive Faces Major Setback in Copyright Ruling

A federal appeals court has dealt a significant blow to the Internet Archive, upholding a previous ruling that found the nonprofit organization’s digital book lending practices violated copyright law. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected the Internet Archive’s argument that its lending practices were protected under the fair use doctrine.

The case stems from a program launched by the Internet Archive in March 2020 called the National Emergency Library (NEL). This initiative, created in response to library closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed unlimited borrowing of scanned books without the usual one-to-one lending ratio. 

Major publishing houses, including Hachette, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, and Wiley, sued the Internet Archive in June 2020, claiming copyright infringement.

While the appeals court upheld the district court’s initial ruling against the Internet Archive, it did clarify that the organization should be viewed as a nonprofit rather than a commercial entity. This distinction, however, did not change the overall outcome of the case.

The ruling has raised concerns about the future of digital preservation and access to information. The Internet Archive, known for its Wayback Machine that archives websites, plays a crucial role in preserving internet history. 

The organization’s director of library services, Chris Freeland, expressed disappointment with the decision, and said that they are “reviewing the court’s opinion and will continue to defend the rights of libraries to own, lend, and preserve books.”

Note that the ruling primarily affects the Internet Archive’s digital book lending practices, not all of its operations. Other crucial services like the Wayback Machine are not directly impacted by this specific case.

This case has broader implications for copyright law, especially as it relates to fair use claims. It comes at a time when numerous copyright infringement cases have been filed against AI companies over the use of copyrighted data in AI training.

The Internet Archive faces additional legal challenges, including a separate lawsuit filed by music labels over a music digitization project. The potential damages in that case could pose a significant threat to the nonprofit’s operations.


Information for this story was found via the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.

Video Articles

Fortune Bay: The Potential Billion Dollar Project

Japan Gold Enters New Chapter as Barrick Alliance Concludes – John Proust

Barrick Mining’s “Company Defining [Gold] Discovery”

Recommended

Nord Precious Metals Produces High Grade Silver Concentrate From Tailings

ESGold Secures $9 Million In Non-Dilutive Funding From Ocean Partners

Related News

Meta Faces Breakup Over Alleged ‘Colossal Cover-Up’

A federal judge will decide in the coming months whether to break up Meta Platforms...

Tuesday, July 1, 2025, 11:34:00 AM

Adobe Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Alleged Deceptive Subscription Practices

Adobe Inc. (Nasdaq: ADBE) is facing a class action lawsuit alleging the software giant uses...

Tuesday, August 5, 2025, 08:41:00 AM

Tesla Ordered to Pay $243 Million in Fatal Autopilot Crash

Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA) must pay $243 million in damages following a jury’s determination that the...

Monday, August 4, 2025, 11:41:00 AM

Bayer Hit with $2.1 Billion Verdict in Latest Roundup Cancer Case

A Georgia jury has ordered Bayer AG (ETR: BAYN) to pay nearly $2.1 billion in...

Monday, March 24, 2025, 10:10:00 AM

Women’s Dating Safety App Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Data Breaches

A class action lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges that Tea Dating Advice, a women-only dating safety...

Friday, August 1, 2025, 11:57:00 AM