Blake E. Reid
@chup.blakereid.org
Simple country tech law professor, multidisciplinary dilettante. Ska, Crocs, fizzy water, chup. Need just one more guitar pedal. Someone is wrong on the Internet and it might be me. No legal or good advice; opinions my own, bad
Here’s my writeup of a new bill that would break up the Library of Congress and the U.S. Copyright Office, reinforcing the Library in Congress and handing the USCO over to the executive branch
The Copyright Office Leadership Fracas and the Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act – Blake E. Reid
blakereid.org
November 21, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Here’s my writeup of a new bill that would break up the Library of Congress and the U.S. Copyright Office, reinforcing the Library in Congress and handing the USCO over to the executive branch
Here’s @sarahjeong.bsky.social somehow going even harder than the T-shirt at the AI-copyright conference: “[AI companies] have ushered in a wholesale destruction of human knowledge and culture that is as significant as the burning of the Library of Alexandria.”
November 21, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Here’s @sarahjeong.bsky.social somehow going even harder than the T-shirt at the AI-copyright conference: “[AI companies] have ushered in a wholesale destruction of human knowledge and culture that is as significant as the burning of the Library of Alexandria.”
I am returning from my Bluesky productivity-induction hiatus just to complain that this NYT headline falsely implies that Lego minifigs can be "beheaded" when in fact the heads *come* detached from the arms/torso in the box
Police Break Up Lego Theft Ring, Recovering Hundreds of Beheaded Figurines
www.nytimes.com
October 19, 2025 at 3:27 PM
I am returning from my Bluesky productivity-induction hiatus just to complain that this NYT headline falsely implies that Lego minifigs can be "beheaded" when in fact the heads *come* detached from the arms/torso in the box
Reposted by Blake E. Reid
This is great stuff. Really glad to see @rooseveltinstitute.org getting into disability issues in such a big way.
Also see disabilityecon.org which we'll be using to share research and news!
September 16, 2025 at 7:41 PM
This is great stuff. Really glad to see @rooseveltinstitute.org getting into disability issues in such a big way.
[correction:] ICYMI, the DC Circuit on Wednesday effectively reinstated the Register of Copyrights (Pan and *Childs* with a per curiam order and concurrence, *Walker* dissenting). The dispute centers the salience of the Library of Congress' quasi-legislative/executive/judicial status under Wilcox.
storage.courtlistener.com
September 12, 2025 at 8:39 PM
[correction:] ICYMI, the DC Circuit on Wednesday effectively reinstated the Register of Copyrights (Pan and *Childs* with a per curiam order and concurrence, *Walker* dissenting). The dispute centers the salience of the Library of Congress' quasi-legislative/executive/judicial status under Wilcox.
Reposted by Blake E. Reid
New blog post with Internet Society: I argue Internet fragmentation is taking an "outward" turn, no longer just used for domestic or authoritarian purposes but for extending power across borders.
Short piece: pulse.internetsociety.org/blog/a-new-c...
Long piece: www.sciencespo.fr/public/chair...
Short piece: pulse.internetsociety.org/blog/a-new-c...
Long piece: www.sciencespo.fr/public/chair...
A New Chapter in Internet Fragmentation
pulse.internetsociety.org
September 12, 2025 at 3:39 PM
New blog post with Internet Society: I argue Internet fragmentation is taking an "outward" turn, no longer just used for domestic or authoritarian purposes but for extending power across borders.
Short piece: pulse.internetsociety.org/blog/a-new-c...
Long piece: www.sciencespo.fr/public/chair...
Short piece: pulse.internetsociety.org/blog/a-new-c...
Long piece: www.sciencespo.fr/public/chair...
$1.5 billion on the table for Anthropic to settle © claims. This strikes me as:
(a) a lot of money for a currently unprofitable company;
(b) maybe not so much for one with a $183 billion market cap;
(c) a lot more than $0 (fair use);
(d) a lot less than the hundreds-of-billions statutory max.
(a) a lot of money for a currently unprofitable company;
(b) maybe not so much for one with a $183 billion market cap;
(c) a lot more than $0 (fair use);
(d) a lot less than the hundreds-of-billions statutory max.
Anthropic to Pay $1.5 Billion to Settle Author Copyright Claims
Anthropic PBC will pay $1.5 billion to resolve an authors’ copyright lawsuit over the AI company’s downloading of millions of pirated books, one of the largest settlements over artificial intelligence...
news.bloomberglaw.com
September 5, 2025 at 7:40 PM
$1.5 billion on the table for Anthropic to settle © claims. This strikes me as:
(a) a lot of money for a currently unprofitable company;
(b) maybe not so much for one with a $183 billion market cap;
(c) a lot more than $0 (fair use);
(d) a lot less than the hundreds-of-billions statutory max.
(a) a lot of money for a currently unprofitable company;
(b) maybe not so much for one with a $183 billion market cap;
(c) a lot more than $0 (fair use);
(d) a lot less than the hundreds-of-billions statutory max.
Broadcast networks should consider the risk of threats to license renewals of affiliate and O&O stations in future administrations for submitting to flagrantly coercive jawboning. Unlike social media companies, broadcast licensees have legal obligations to their audiences.
September 5, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Broadcast networks should consider the risk of threats to license renewals of affiliate and O&O stations in future administrations for submitting to flagrantly coercive jawboning. Unlike social media companies, broadcast licensees have legal obligations to their audiences.
On quick scan I concur with David: the remedies against Google are pretty weak tea, though still complex enough to require a "Technical Committee" that will probably pay for a lot of beach houses. Increasingly tough to believe muscular structural antitrust remedies will emerge from current statutes.
The Google monopolization remedy is out and it looks like the judge imposed next to nothing as a penalty. Big disappointment. Trump doesn't even have to intervene and bail Google out.
Here is the verdict:
www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/dsf41...
Here is the verdict:
www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/dsf41...
www.dropbox.com
September 2, 2025 at 8:51 PM
On quick scan I concur with David: the remedies against Google are pretty weak tea, though still complex enough to require a "Technical Committee" that will probably pay for a lot of beach houses. Increasingly tough to believe muscular structural antitrust remedies will emerge from current statutes.
I'm not sure I agree with the conclusion here, but it's framing a critical question for cases like this: what, exactly, is the baseline against which an open-ended chatbot should be measured?
Professionals can be liable in malpractice based solely on what would otherwise be protected speech outside that context. OpenAI opened that door IMO. They're contracting with teens as an all-purpose chat service. It's going to stumble into things that would take a human beyond 1A protection.
August 28, 2025 at 10:07 PM
I'm not sure I agree with the conclusion here, but it's framing a critical question for cases like this: what, exactly, is the baseline against which an open-ended chatbot should be measured?
It's hard to know exactly what to make of Anthropic moving to settle the copyright class action against it without knowing the details of the settlement, but... 🍿
Bloomberg Law
news.bloomberglaw.com
August 27, 2025 at 1:27 AM
It's hard to know exactly what to make of Anthropic moving to settle the copyright class action against it without knowing the details of the settlement, but... 🍿
Reposted by Blake E. Reid
"We’re witnessing, in real-time, a profound consolidation of power & collusion among political & tech elites... wherein the tools and technologies that this industry has built... can now be deployed in service of an authoritarian regime" — @katie-drummond.bsky.social www.status.news/p/wired-kati...
WIRED for the Moment
In a conversation with Status, WIRED’s Katie Drummond argues that Silicon Valley is no longer just innovating new technology—it’s actively shaping American democracy.
www.status.news
August 24, 2025 at 11:29 PM
"We’re witnessing, in real-time, a profound consolidation of power & collusion among political & tech elites... wherein the tools and technologies that this industry has built... can now be deployed in service of an authoritarian regime" — @katie-drummond.bsky.social www.status.news/p/wired-kati...
Good pickup from @ericgoldman.bsky.social on the Ohio Google-is-a-common-carrier lolsuit. One point I’d add is that the analysis frames a fairly “Ohio-law-specific” version of common carriage law, particularly the property-transportation framing, aside from a throwaway analogy to net neutrality.
Google Search Isn't a "Common Carrier" (DUH)-Ohio v. Google - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
State AGs undertake some of the stupidest and most MAGAlicious stunts, a form of vacuous theater to own the libs rather than better the lives of their constituents. In this case, Ohio AG Yost sued Goo...
blog.ericgoldman.org
August 20, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Good pickup from @ericgoldman.bsky.social on the Ohio Google-is-a-common-carrier lolsuit. One point I’d add is that the analysis frames a fairly “Ohio-law-specific” version of common carriage law, particularly the property-transportation framing, aside from a throwaway analogy to net neutrality.
There's a snake-eating-its-tail dynamic in "AI is going to revolutionize legal practice" hype. There's a mounting professional/regulatory norm that using AI for legal practice requires independently verifying its results, but learning how to do that takes... law school and years of legal practice.
Very unnerving to see so many of these stories in concert with the many articles about law schools incorporating this tech into the curriculum.
August 19, 2025 at 5:08 PM
There's a snake-eating-its-tail dynamic in "AI is going to revolutionize legal practice" hype. There's a mounting professional/regulatory norm that using AI for legal practice requires independently verifying its results, but learning how to do that takes... law school and years of legal practice.
Interested in the First Amendment, the FCC, and telecom law? The new edition of Jerry Kang's, @alanindc.bsky.social's, and my Communications Law and Policy casebook is freely available. It's aimed at students, but may be of interest to practitioners, profs, journalists, and others too!
Communications Law – Jerry Kang
jerrykang.net
July 18, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Interested in the First Amendment, the FCC, and telecom law? The new edition of Jerry Kang's, @alanindc.bsky.social's, and my Communications Law and Policy casebook is freely available. It's aimed at students, but may be of interest to practitioners, profs, journalists, and others too!
Slightly subtler version:
1) There are now many more cameras and microphones in public places
2) There are turnkey tools to connect faces to identities
3) Connecting faces to identities has become an online sport
4) Most people don't realize 1-3 and couldn't comport their behavior if they did
1) There are now many more cameras and microphones in public places
2) There are turnkey tools to connect faces to identities
3) Connecting faces to identities has become an online sport
4) Most people don't realize 1-3 and couldn't comport their behavior if they did
kiss cams are the surveillance state btw
July 17, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Slightly subtler version:
1) There are now many more cameras and microphones in public places
2) There are turnkey tools to connect faces to identities
3) Connecting faces to identities has become an online sport
4) Most people don't realize 1-3 and couldn't comport their behavior if they did
1) There are now many more cameras and microphones in public places
2) There are turnkey tools to connect faces to identities
3) Connecting faces to identities has become an online sport
4) Most people don't realize 1-3 and couldn't comport their behavior if they did
I don't expect the ruling will stick, but will begin the process of forcing the Humphrey's Executor issues
A federal judge has restored Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter to her role at the FTC after ruling that Trump’s attempt to fire the Dem appointee in March was illegal.
Judge says Trump’s firing of FTC commissioner was illegal
Amid White House push to remake agencies, Democratic commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter can return to her job.
www.politico.com
July 17, 2025 at 10:15 PM
I don't expect the ruling will stick, but will begin the process of forcing the Humphrey's Executor issues
Tech law pals: the Law & Technology Workshop call for papers is up for Fall 2025. If you're writing in law and tech, broadly construed, please think about submitting! It's a low-pressure format with a great group of folks. Deadline's Sept. 19!
Law & Technology Workshop - Fall 2025 - Submissions
Application Deadline: August 15, 2025
Application Link: https://forms.gle/oMkifiyr3wk53qfY6
First Session: September 19, 2025
Subsequent Sessions: 3rd Friday of Each Month
The Law and Technology ...
docs.google.com
July 17, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Tech law pals: the Law & Technology Workshop call for papers is up for Fall 2025. If you're writing in law and tech, broadly construed, please think about submitting! It's a low-pressure format with a great group of folks. Deadline's Sept. 19!
An absolute banger from @jasonkoebler.bsky.social on the dead end of AI for journalism (and easy to extrapolate the insights about audience and humanity to education, legal advice, and other info industries)
The Media's Pivot to AI Is Not Real and Not Going to Work
AI is not going to save media companies, and forcing journalists to use AI is not a business model.
www.404media.co
July 14, 2025 at 2:53 PM
An absolute banger from @jasonkoebler.bsky.social on the dead end of AI for journalism (and easy to extrapolate the insights about audience and humanity to education, legal advice, and other info industries)
Ska is now defenseless 😭
Tomorrow we drop the final episode of In Defense of Ska. Adam and I are very sad, and we love each and every one of you. Thanks for listening to us defend ska. We hope you keep skanking like your life depends on it. Because it does.
July 9, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Ska is now defenseless 😭
Reminder that *every* generative AI tool is necessarily shaped by its creators' decisions; there is no abstract "neutral" baseline for measuring how they work. We're in a moment of specific decisions making that obvious, but everything about a model is a function of decisions, all the way down.
Generative Baseline Hell and the Regulation of Machine-Learning Foundation Models
There are no neutral baselines for foundation models.
www.lawfaremedia.org
July 9, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Reminder that *every* generative AI tool is necessarily shaped by its creators' decisions; there is no abstract "neutral" baseline for measuring how they work. We're in a moment of specific decisions making that obvious, but everything about a model is a function of decisions, all the way down.
Reposted by Blake E. Reid
Do you have opinions about tech policy and AI? Do you enjoy yelling at Congress? Want to get paid to combine those two things? Come work with us!
Government Affairs Policy Counsel/Advocate - Public Knowledge - Career Page
Apply to Government Affairs Policy Counsel/Advocate at Public Knowledge in Washington, DC.
publicknowledge.applytojob.com
July 7, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Do you have opinions about tech policy and AI? Do you enjoy yelling at Congress? Want to get paid to combine those two things? Come work with us!
Grateful to @indefenseofska.bsky.social for so many years of good listens and reconnecting me with a scene that I’d lost. And very proud to have dropped what I *think* is the only cite (so far!) to the book in a law review article. (Still has to survive the editors but I will fight for it.)
July 6, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Grateful to @indefenseofska.bsky.social for so many years of good listens and reconnecting me with a scene that I’d lost. And very proud to have dropped what I *think* is the only cite (so far!) to the book in a law review article. (Still has to survive the editors but I will fight for it.)