How Copyright Law Is Being Used to Squelch Speech
Summary
Sunny Bunch interviews Eric Gardner of Puck about Warner Bros. using DMCA takedowns to remove HBO’s *Lanterns* spoilers, which disrupted creators like Cosmic Book News. They discuss the legal mechanics of copyright enforcement, comparing this case to controversial spoiler prosecutions in Japan and India. The conversation highlights concerns that studios are exploiting copyright laws to suppress speech and negative buzz rather than protecting intellectual property.
Topics discussed
Introduction and teaser: Warner Bros. spoiler takedown
Explaining the DMCA and how takedown notices work
ISP immunity and the good faith requirement
Warner Bros. removes Lanterns spoilers from YouTube
Global context: Japan and India spoiler cases
Japanese jail sentence for detailed plot summaries
Batman review takedown and fair use arguments
The process as punishment: imbalance of power
Indian injunctions against advance movie reviews
Using copyright law to squelch speech and AI concerns
Abusing copyright to disrupt political live streams
Conclusion: The expanding scope of takedown notices
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