A New (Old) Discovery | Sony says "You Don't Own Those!"...Again (VL770)

Virtual Legality

In this episode, Richard Hoeg and guest speaker, Ian Runkle, delve into the legal aspects of digital ownership, focusing on PlayStation, Sony, and Warner Brothers Discovery. They discuss Sony's legal repercussions, copyright laws, intellectual property rights, and piracy. The conversation extends to the meaning of 'purchase' in digital media, the first sales doctrine, and its impact on digital content ownership. They also look at the shift to subscription models, the limitations of NFTs, and the need for a legal upgrade for digital goods. The episode concludes with a discussion on service agreements and viewer questions. (0:00) Introduction and Briefing on the episode's focus: PlayStation, Sony, Warner Brothers Discovery, and Digital Ownership (6:03) Audience reactions and Legal repercussions for Sony regarding the Sony-Discovery issue (11:26) Deep dive into copyright laws, intellectual property rights, and Sony's distribution rights (17:09) Discussion on piracy and PlayStation Network's terms of service (24:13) Examination of PlayStation Network's terms of service and the meaning of 'purchase' in digital media (31:26) Understanding the first sales doctrine and its application to digital media (47:29) The first sale doctrine and its implications on digital content ownership (54:18) The shift from ownership to subscription models and the potential dangers of digital ownership (1:03:34) The limitations of NFTs in solving digital ownership issues and the debate on piracy (1:14:00) The need for a legal upgrade for digital goods and the power imbalances in copyright rules (1:26:40) Nuances of negotiating service agreements and addressing viewer questions (1:35:36) Closing remarks and disclaimer