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US Supreme Court hearing internet file sharing case involving MGM, Grokster
MUMBAI: This is considered by some industry observers to be a historic occassion for the global media and entertainment industry. The US Supreme Court is hearing the MGM vs. Grokster case which is said to be the biggest media distribution case since the Sony Betamax (VCR) case of 1984.
The fight is over what liability technology companies like Grokster incur for the piracy by the users of their technology.
The case looks at the legal issues involved in peer-to-peer Internet file-sharing services. Media reports indicates that the verdict has broad implications for any technology that could potentially be used to infringe on copyrighted materials. So far, lower courts have ruled that the defendants in the case — Grokster and StreamCast Networks — can’t be held responsible for what users do with their software, even if that includes illegally downloading copyrighted songs, films and software products.
According to MGM, over 90 per cent of the material exchanged using Grokster’s file-sharing software is copyrighted material and therefore, copyright infringement occurs every time users exchange the information. MGM contends that Grokster contributes to this infringement by making the file-sharing software available to the public.
US SC swaying towards Grokster? During a lively hour-long argument, the Supreme Court puzzled over the repercussions of granting the entertainment industry the authority to sue technology manufacturers over consumers who use their products to steal music and movies online. Justices wondered aloud whether lawsuits against manufacturers might have discouraged past inventions like copy machines and VCRs as well as newer innovations like iPod music players. All can be used to make illegal copies of films and songs.
Justice Antonin Scalia said that a ruling against Grokster which develop file-sharing software, could lead to a mentality that says,” if I am a new inventor, I’m going to get sued right away.”
During the hearing the entertainment industry’s lawyer, Donald Verrilli Jr. said that his clients have no interest in suing inventors who take steps to block customers from stealing. However Grokster and other file-sharing services actively encourage consumers to steal. Verrilli called Grokster’s software “a gigantic engine of infringement” that thieves use to steal 2.6 billion songs, movies and other digital files each month.
If the Supreme Court upholds the previous rulings, it would take an act of Congress to outlaw the current generation of file-swapping technologies. On the other hand, members of the broader technology industry are worried that a decision that goes against Grokster will undermine a previous Supreme Court decision they say created a legal climate in which technology innovation has been able to thrive for two decades.
Music companies say that they have tracked billion-dollar declines in compact disc sales since the emergence of Napster in the late 1990s. If file-swapping firms are allowed to continue doling out their software with impunity, the companies say they will have few ways to stop the emorrhaging, which they say will only get worse as Internet technology improves.
This case is part of a long drawn out battle being fought between the media industry and. new media distribution technology. Copyright vs. Innovation. It is a battle that has been fought over the phonograph, the photocopier, the tape deck, the VCR, and has now spread to peer-to-peer, technology. The challenge is to harmonise the goals of content ownership with those of technology innovation.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
